BWF Mid Atlantic Classic (Mac) Soccer Fest

What did you do this weekend?!
I spent my entire weekend preparing, planning and implementing my agency, BWF's (Brotman Winter Fried Communications), largest annual event, Mac Soccerfest. For those of you who are not familiar, this festival is basically a large soccer tournament where hundreds of teams (ranging from age 5 to age 50) come to compete against one another. During this tournament, we have other activities and events going on (i.e. inflatable obstacle course, autograph signing, music, etc.).
Friday was the day to setup and prepare for the two-day event. All of the interns took on a variety of jobs and responsibilities in order to have everything ready and organized for the game days. It was a very busy day. After unloading the truck, moving tables and chairs and then setting up the music system, I came to find out that my day was only half way over.
However, Saturday was the true test to see if we had really planned well. In the morning, it was a little crazy because of all the teams checking in and registering at once. Thankfully, everyone worked very well together and the entire BWF staff managed to pull off a great first day.
On Sunday, the day actually ran much smoother than we had planned. We were expecting the day to consist of a lot of chaos and confusion (because we had a smaller staff), but we ended up with surprisingly less confusion. The registration went fast, all of the field marshalls communicated well with one another, and we even ended up leaving earlier than expected. According to the big guys, we all did a great job! Personally, I was very happy with how everything had turned out. All of the interns got along and we all worked as a team. People were not afraid to help out one another. I think this event made our staff stronger as a whole. Not only was it a great working experience, but it also allowed everyone to sort of open up a little more and let our personalities shine through.
I think this event really brought the BWF staff and interns closer. It is a great feeling when you can wake up and HONESTLY say, "I enjoy what I do, I enjoy where I work and I really like the people I work with."

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Okay, so let's recap:
Monday I had my weekly programming for The Washington Center. For the program, each intern had to attend two different workshops of our choice. The two workshops I selected focused on how to apply for graduate school and also how to prepare for it . The workshops also provided valuable tips, a 12-month timeline, and examples of graduate application essays. At 5 o'clock, the workshops had finally come to an end. Immediately after, several of my friends and I met up at Cosi's for dinner. It was a great way to end the day, with new friends and great food!
Tuesday was a pretty ordinary day. I went to work and completed a number of tasks: created media lists, contacted some clients and prepared for BWF's upcoming weekend event (MacSoocer Fest).
Wednesday turned out to be less stressful, compared to my typical Wednesdays. This Wednesday my night class had been cancelled and moved to the following Saturday. It was really nice to be able to go to the gym after work and also have some free time to sit and relax.
Thursday was the complete opposite of Wednesday. It ended up being a very busy day at work because we had to do all of the last minute projects for BWF's weekend event. The MacSoccer Fest is a very large soccer tournament where multiple divisions of soccer players, ranging from young children to adults, come to compete against one another. Also at the tournament, dozens of local vendors come and set up tents to display and sell their products and services.
Friday (today) I spent the entire day in Poolesville, Maryland. The BWF interns and myself spent hours preparing for the big event. We built soccer goals, helped setup and organize the registration tent, we also learned about the music technology and helped setup the music system!
Tomorrow and Sunday are the big days, this should be very interesting! All of the staff have to arrive at the field by 6:30AM! I'm pretty sure this means I should have went to bed 2 hours ago...

Take me out to the ball game!

This past Friday, the entire Washington Center Media and Communications Program and I went to a Washington Nationals baseball game (compliments of our generous program advisor)!

Since I had never been to a game at the Nationals stadium before, my friend Katie and I decided we should meet up before hand, in hopes of not getting lost. Around 6pm her and I met up at the Federal Triangle Station, little did we know the stadium was only about 100 feet from the station. That made everything a lot easier. Once we got there, we then met up with another girl from our program, Kaylee. We then proceeded to enter the stadium. Before taking my third step past the gates, I found the closest employee and asked, "Where is the food!?" After getting directions, we went straight to the nearest food joint and ordered. The food was great and I was definitely ready to sit back and watch the game. We had to get a little help from the staff in order to find our seats, but after walking up a tremendous amount of steps, we finally found them! The view was great and everyone from our program was enjoying themselves. It was a really nice setting to be in. The weather was great, the Nationals were winning and there were also opportunities for the students to network and talk with one another.

Toward the end of the game, Katie and I decided we needed some dessert (clearly we didn't NEED it, but we were desperately craving ice cream!). As we were heading down the steps and walking toward the ice cream stand, we ran into one of our friends, Quintinn, from Georgetown. Everyone always tells me Washington is actually a small town, but I never believed it. After catching up and talking for a few minutes, we finally cured our cravings and enjoyed a few scoops of chocolate ice cream. What a great way to end the day!

A Tour of Georgetown

Wednesdays might just be my new favorite night of the week! Before I elaborate, Wednesdays are when I have my night class. Each week, we tour a new part of the Washington area and we also eat a big dinner together at one of the local restaurants. This past Wednesday, my class and I met up at Martin's Tavern in Georgetown. It was a great way for everyone to socialize, connect and also enjoy delicious food before we started our tour. Right after eating, we all met up outside and began heading toward Georgetown University (GU). On our journey their, a few of the other students and I went a little camera-crazy and took pictures of just about every other house we saw. A lot of the houses had been restored and remodeled, which is why they are so beautiful but also very expensive to live in. Once we arrived at GU, our teacher took us into one of the campus buildings and also to an on-campus church (the church just happened to be the same church where part of the movie, The Exorcist was filmed). Once we were finished there, we then headed down to the steps where another part of the movie was filmed. Even though I have never seen The Exorcist, it is still neat to be able to say I went to those sites.

Next we headed toward Wisconsin Ave., one of the main streets in Georgetown. It is lined with famous brand name boutiques, local shops and old landmarks. Our teacher took us to see the Old Stone House, which is one of the oldest structures in the Washington area. As one of the requirements for our class, each student has to give a short presentation on one of the sites we visit. Therefore, my classmate Jamie gave her presentation on the Old Stone House and talked about some of its past uses (a residence, a business office, and now a historical landmark).

Later on, we made our way down to the Georgetown Waterfront (one of my new favorite places). I have to admit though, I really didn't think it would be that nice of a place to see at night because I've been there during the day and it is absolutely stunning. It would be pretty hard to top. Well, I was wrong. The huge water fountains that I love were all lit up, each one a different color. The steps to one of the hotels there were lit too and at the top of the steps you could see a classy event going on inside, complete with a very talented jazz band I should add. Also, in one of the hotel/apartment courtyards, there were about a dozen trees all dressed in bright white lights, from the bottom of the tree trunks to the very tip of the skinniest branch. It was beautiful. Never again will I doubt the Waterfront nighttime scene.

Hop On The Metro and Pick Somewhere To Go

I'm sure you're all anxious to see how my weekend went, but honestly, the best part didn't even happen until Sunday!

This past Sunday my roommate Lexy and I decided we should go see a movie, little did I know that I was about to watch the funniest movie ever, The Hangover. We thought it would be a good idea to leave about an hour early. The station we had to get off at was one we had never taken before and so we were preparing to eventually get lost, which we did. We hopped onto the metro and got off at the Court House station. We thought we were doing a great job whenever we made the right onto Clarendon Road, little did we know we were supposed to make a left! After about 20 mins of walking aimlessly, we decided to ask someone where the movie theatre was. Once we found out that we were heading 6 blocks in the wrong direction, we got onto the right path and ended up making the show.

One of the best parts about are walk was that we were able to see some beautiful scenery, as well as very elegant water fountains (I personally think they are one of the prettiest outdoor structures). Anyway, Lexy was rushing because we were running a little late. Thankfully, I was able to snap a few quick pictures of the landscaping and fountains. Okay, now onto what I think was the absolute best part, watching the movie. I am pretty sure I didn't stop laughing the entire time, beginning to finish. For those of you who have not seen the movie yet, I recommend you see it soon!

Going back to the part where I was walking around aimlessly, Monday was similar to that. One of the other TWC interns, Kaitlyn, and I decided to do some sightseeing and food tasting after our Monday afternoon program. We were trying to think of some different places to eat at. She started naming a couple cafes and diners, but then she followed with, "I can't remember where they are at." So I thought of the best idea, hop on the metro and pick somewhere to go. Once we were on the metro, we decided to go to the Chinatown station. Not long after, we discovered that it wasn't a bad idea after all. We got to walk past some of Chinatown's most popular restaurants, boutiques and clubs. The day ended up being a success, we found two really good cafes that served delicious appetizers and entrées. In my opinion, that is one successful day!

Anything Could Happen

These last three days have been quite eventful for me. Let's see, on Wednesday I got to go to California Tortilla's Kids Day event (they are one of my agency's clients)and then I had my night class, ("A Taste of D.C.") where I got a tour of Pennsylvania Ave in downtown D.C. and later I got to tour The Willard Hotel, on Thursday I got to meet PA State Senator Bob Casey (and get a picture with him...soon to come!) and today I got to eat for free at Nando's restaurant (they are another one of my agency's clients).

So let's get into some detail, the event held at California Tortilla was an event planned especially for kids. The event included: free give-a-ways, face painting (yes, I am an official face painter now!), free coupons, and lots and lots of balloons! The event also featured the wonderful Chippy (Cal. Tor.'s mascot, who was played by one of the other BWF interns, Jeff). This was a fun event for both the children and even us interns, it barely felt like work. Later that day, I met my classmates down at the Old Post Office. My professor, Ms. Gueli, brought along her father who is also a professor himself. He ended up giving us all a tour and taking us to see: The National Theatre, The Willard Hotel, and The Old Ebbitt Grill (where we got to eat!).

Thursday turned out to be a little different. I had to wake up at 5:00AM! I left my apartment around 7:00AM and then headed toward D.C. I then arrived at the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. This is where 4 other Washington Center interns and myself got to eat breakfast and introduce ourselves to Bob Casey! A few minutes after meeting him, we got to walk around and meet and greet with some of his staff members. Ashley Stover, one of the staff, is who I got to chat with and ask a few questions to. It turned out to be a great morning and definitely something to remember, "Breakfast with Bob."

Today was a pretty regular day, but the whole idea of getting a free lunch really makes the day 10 times better!

Maybe this weekend will bring some more excitement...

Making The Most Of My Internship

Before I begin talking about what I did today, let me rewind back to Monday afternoon.

So, part of my internship program requires me to attend mandatory meetings/lectures/presentations/etc. every Monday. During this past Monday, all interns in the Media and Communications program were told to attend a presentation at a hotel in downtown D.C. This activity was led by Rosemary Reed, President of Double R Productions. Her presentation was focused on, "The Top Ten Rules FOR MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR INTERNSHIP." I won't list all of the rules, but I will mention two that stuck out in my mind the most: #5 Be Ready to Be Tested and #6 Be Interested. When explaining rule #5, Rosemary told us to keep in mind that there will always be the boring "intern" work that needs done, but if you are competent and if you do a good job at it, the bigger and better assignments will come later on. Then, she went on to discuss rule #6, she explained that having the ability to fake interest (in those boring assignments or long meetings) will take you a long way. When one appears to be interested or enthusiastic about something, people tend to notice and remember that. I wanted to make sure I would remember all of her tips and words of advice, that might explain why I ended up with 3 pages of notes after her presentation! The information was so helpful and I really wanted to implement some of these rules into my internship experience.

Now, we can fast-forward to today (Tuesday, although its technically 2:00am Wednesday morning right now). I would like to think that I have already begun utilizing these rules from my first day as an intern, but I wanted to be sure. On my way to work this morning, I kept thinking to myself, "Be aggressive. Be interested. Be ready!" Once I got to my internship, I went around the office and asked some of the staff if they needed any help. One of the account executives, Mike, said that he needed some email contacts for a project he was working on. Without saying another word, I immediately began my assignment. Once I finished that up, I asked my supervisor, Whitney, if she had anything that needed to be done. She explained to me what she was working on and then assigned me to the job. I spent most of my day completing the task, but once I was done, I asked for more work. Each job I took on I welcomed with enthusiasm. Even if the job was looking up an email address, it was still a task that needed to be done and I was happy to do it.

By the end of the day, I was still in a "go-getter" kind of mood. I was energized because I felt that my day was very productive and successful. In my opinion, I really think Rosemary's presentation motivated me and also provided me with the tools I need in order to make the most of my internship experience.

Time to Explore: End of Week 1

After a nice 4-day work week (I had to take off a day from my internship to go to a meeting), it was time to meet with my new friends and explore the city!

Friday night came around and it was actually a pretty gloomy night (due to the cloudiness and rain). Some of the other interns and I were going to go sightseeing around the National Mall and in Old Town Alexandria. However, we decided it might be a better idea to wait for another night because there is nothing worse than getting caught in the rain and being 40mins. away from your apartment (kind of like what happened to me on Wednesday night after my night class- not a fun experience-Note: ALWAYS bring an umbrella!) So anyway, we decided to have a night in and just relax, sometimes it's the best idea.

The next morning I woke up pretty early and called my friend Dana. She is one of the other interns for Brotman Winter Fried Communications. Dana has been living in D.C. for a couple of years now, so she knows the area pretty well. We decided to go sightseeing and also check out some of the cuisines that D.C. has to offer. We spent most of our day walking up and down the streets of Georgetown (beautiful but also a very expensive place to be). Later on, she took me down to the Waterfront. When I asked her what the Waterfront was, she said, "I can't tell you, it's a surprise." So, I really wasn't sure what to expect. After a short walk, we started coming up to the Waterfront. Basically, it is a very lively and popular part of town where everyone goes to wine, dine, dance, and walk along the water. The area includes: a hotel, multiple restaurants, a huge fountain display and a dock where everyone brings their boat. In my opinion, this was paradise!

Everywhere you look people are smiling. I'm telling you, if you ever get the chance to go to D.C. in the summer, make sure you stop at the Waterfront! You will not want to leave.

First week as an intern

I cannot believe it is almost Thursday! Today was my third day as an intern and so far so good. Let me take you back to day one.

Monday morning, I got up, got ready, grabbed some breakfast and headed to the bus stop. When I arrived to my internship site, I was surprised to find myself the first person there. Eventually, staff members began arriving and I was able to enter. One of the executives even gave me a tour of the building and then showed me where my work station would be. I sat down and began to familiarize myself with the new surroundings and also some of the work documents. About an hour later, I was able to meet my account executive supervisor, Whitney. She was very nice and also very welcoming. I felt right at home. My first assignment was to browse through their list of clients and find out what exactly they focus on. After doing this, I was able to have a better understanding of each client's purpose, mission and needs.

After a successful first day, day two came around. I was still a little nervous, but I walked in with my head up and ready to start the day. As I walked up the stairs, I ran into another new intern, her name was Dana. We each introduced ourselves and then made a plan to meet downstairs for lunch. I then headed down the hallway toward my work station. I spent the next couple of hours reviewing more of the client documents and also refreshing my skills in Microsoft Publisher. Next, I started working on a design for a sample flyer, before I knew it, it was time for lunch. Dana and I, along with a few other interns, spent our lunch talking about personal experiences, where we were from and how we all ended up interning for BWF. It was a nice way of getting to know one another and also helped us feel more comfortable.

By the next day, we were all a lot more talkative and outgoing. We spent our lunch chatting away and laughing with one another. Once lunch was over, I headed back upstairs toward my station. Before I sat down, I asked one of the account executives if they had any projects for me to work on. Lisa Marie, AE and Internship Coordinator, said she had a media list that needed to be created. After gathering all of the details, I headed to my desk and began researching and typing up the list. Soon enough, it was 5:30pm and time for me to leave for the day. I told Whitney and Lisa Marie that I would not be in on Thursday because of a mandatory lecture I had to attend for The Washington Center. I then assured them I would finish the media list by Friday afternoon and would be free to take on more assignments.