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Stories have always had a presence in my life, which is probably why I now work toward being a storyteller. Before I started school, my grandma would take care of me while my parents went to work. I loved spending my days at her house because it meant a new story. We would go to the book shelf and choose that day’s literary adventure. These books ranged from “Oliver Twist” to “Moby Dick,” “The Secret Garden” and a variety of Grimm Brothers’ tales. She even had her own library of stories she had created over the years. My favorite was a series she titled “Mrs. Plum,” which told the life of Mrs. Plum, a talking tree, and her family of trees. My parents likewise feed my imagination with stories. They would alternate between who would read that night’s bedtime stories. Over this time I heard great works by John Steinbeck, C.S. Lewis and Kenneth Grahame. As I got older I began to explore the magnificent world of the written language on my own. Avi is one author I remember who not only encouraged my imagination but my fascination with the fantasy genre. He wrote stories for young readers that included anything from mystery, historical fiction to fantasy. His works such as “Midnight Magic” and “Crispin” entranced me with the medieval era and the delightful happenings of the time. It was after reading his work that I first remember writing my own stories. My passion for stories has continued to grow, whether it is tended by people or authors in my life. The impact these stories had on me as a child is something I hold close as I venture into my own writing.   

Internships are an important step in getting a job after graduation, which is why many students go to any length to secure a future position. Being overworked with no pay and doing tedious assignments is often the intern experience. In an ideal situation the intern would apply their time in a meaningful way that would give them the necessary experience in the field. However, this is not always the case. Internships are a benefit to companies because they find free workers who are willing to do the grunt work that no paid employer would do. I associate an internship with hazing. The company or organization can see how much the student can handle and to what degree they are successful in the process. This does not mean that the interns should be exploited, but they often have no other choice than to keep silent in hopes of landing a future job. “Unpaid interns are usually too scared to speak out… because they are frightened it will hurt their chances of finding future jobs in their industry,” Adam Klein, a lawyer in an internship lawsuit, said. Unfortunately, the intern has to weigh their options; would they rather speak out and lose a possible spot in their desired industry, or work through the challenges to earn a future position? Interns should know their limits. Weigh the importance of the job against the importance of having piece of mind.