Sometimes the last thing that I wanted to hear is the thing that I needed to hear the most. I have been interning for over a month now and up until these past few days, I have started feeling irreplaceable. I have gained the confidence in the tasks and the personal relationships seemed to be going very well. Things were going swell and I was starting to feel like all the extra efforts I had been making and all the times I had "saved the day" were finally starting to get noticed. Work life in my company is like none other that I have ever experienced before. The world of high fashion PR is quite different once you get behind the scenes. The one big thing that I have to come learn is that the life of an intern is usually quite short and replaceable. You are seen as free labor that comes and goes. While this may sound harsh, it was affirmed to me verbally in many ways today. After pretty much being told all day that we are not employees and being asked to do the most menial tasks, we were sent home early so that all the employees can go to their staff party, that they all rushed to in hopes that they don't run out of food. When asked about why we were not invited or a part of it, the answer was given simply that we were just intern and asked where we would be in a few months. That's when it all hit me, like a ton of bricks. Here I was right now wishing that I was irreplaceable at this menial labor internship. I truly hope that I won't be here for much longer. Even though I have been doing the jobs of the employees, picking up the pieces and "saving the day" that doesn't mean that someone else won't come along and do the same. My time might be temporary, but I have made the most of it. Although they told me what I didn't want to hear, I got the message. It may not have been the one they were sending, but I told myself that while sometimes it is nice to feel irreplaceable, in this case I don't know why I would want to stay.
Nørreport - København