From a technical standpoint, my internship entailed helping with the production of content behind the camera. I primarily helped film B-roll and edit social media reels for clients and social media marketing. I would meet with my boss/co-workers every morning to discuss my progress. Since my company didn’t operate at one location, interning there allowed me to travel all over Australia. I flew to Melbourne with a co-worker for a week to help out on a project, and was able to explore the city and learn from her knowledge and experience with the craft. From an emotional standpoint, interning in Australia entailed me facing discomfort and learning how to live independently, which is the most invaluable skill that I’ve ever been blessed with having the opportunity to learn.

Without a doubt, the most important skill that I learned is what it takes to thrive independently. Before my internship, if you asked me what it takes to thrive independently, my answer would be devoid of any connection to personal experience because I didn’t have any. I would just tell you what I think sounds correct. However, if I was asked the same question after the program, I would be able to reflect on my new, priceless experiences and answer that question from the heart. Navigating discomfort and having to be my own self regulator allowed me to not only get to know myself on an intimate level, but to love myself, which I would argue is the most important skill there is in order to be happy and content.

My experience with Connect-123 influenced my career path in a multitude of ways. As someone with experience writing for film and acting in front of the camera, spending three months behind the camera imbued me with an entirely new perspective on storytelling. I left my internship program feeling even more inspired to pursue screenwriting, which I was already passionate about. Now having understood an entirely new layer of how stories are told, I felt enlightened, seasoned, and a level of adequacy and inspiration that I had never felt before, in regards to my craft. Connect-123 influenced my life and career indirectly in profound ways. Trying so many new activities allowed me to obtain more knowledge of what I like and don’t like, helping me broaden my perspective of the world and learn who I am as a person.