Intern Chick

I thought and thought about this for quite some time. I had to get out of this job, because I was picturing myself just floating along, waiting for something to fall in my lap. That's not how I play. Do I take that leap into the sea of the unemployed, or do I stay, quietly collecting my $100/week stipend that doesn't even cover groceries? I was starting to realize that I was setting my worth at that $100--if I believe that's how much I'm worth, that's what everyone else will believe, too.

I'm worth more. So I quit.

I quit the day before Thanksgiving and I was at peace with my decision. I believe that everything you do in your life should not only teach you something, but it should serve some type of purpose. Even this job served a purpose. It made me remember how much I truly love music and the industry. Most of the times I've been working have been in the music industry, and sometimes, you just don't know what you have until it's gone. My love has been reinstated. I guess you could call that the game winning play at the buzzer.

I've been noticing at work that despite my best efforts to remain under the radar and keep my head down without anyone raving about what great work I've done, I've been given a lot more responsibility than the other interns who have been there much longer than me. At first, they made me an administrator on one of their seasonal websites so that I could answer customer inquiries. That was fine with me, it's one website that's only popular during that particular holiday.

Then, they made me administrator of another seasonal website. Okay...I can dig it, still not an extremely important thing in the grand scheme of things here.

Monday, they gave me access to one of the shared drivers on the network that interns are absolutely prohibited from. Not only did they give me access to this drive, but they had me refunding costumers for tickets to events they'd purchased. The company doesn't like to give refunds so they told me that it was at my discretion if I thought they should be refunded or not.

Now these people's money is in my hands??

Yesterday, they made me administrator, again, for what is probably their biggest ticketing website, if not their second biggest. I left work knowing I had to make some plays here before they gave me some type of Rookie of the Year award.

I woke up this morning feeling groggy as usual. And like every morning, my argument with myself over if I should quit or not had me running behind schedule. This morning though, I saw my chance for an All-Star play. I went on my laptop, wrote a quick note to my boss to let him know I would not be in until 1 PM today because I had a last minute interview I had to go to.

Now, under normal circumstances, I would never let my superior know I was actively searching for work, (nor would I tell a lie!!) but this is how I've decided to play the game. Call it a foul on the play if you'd like, hit me with an unsportsmanlike conduct if you have to. I don't want this team making room for me on their roster. I cuddled back into my dangerously comfortable bed, and slept with a smirk on my face until 12 PM. The streets of Manhattan were good to me for those extra hours, completely quiet and calm.

I strolled into work at 1 PM, still smiling and had the usual pleasantries with my boss. He asked how my interview went and I could tell by the look on his face that he was happy when I said it was just okay but I wasn't very confident in it. I went over to my desk where my other boss told me another intern would now be splitting up my work with me.

3 Point Play for the Intern Chick. This is what I wanted. Make room for someone that wants it, I'd rather be the free agent, pen in hand waiting to sign with someone else.

I won't complain about what I consider to be early hours, because I know it's just me that finds waking up at 8:30 AM to be unbearable.

My desk at work is in one huge cubicle where the dividers have been taken down in order to fit 4 people. I am part of the 4 people, along with 3 other females who I'm not sure what they do. One can't speak English very well. The other prints out tickets all day and the noise of the ticket machine would be enough to drive you crazy if it wasn't for the 3rd girl. I think she is my boss. No one told me what department they moved me to, and I've figured that out on my own, so no one told me who I report to. I think this girl is it. She listens to Techno and House music all day, and when its not that, its slow whiny alternative music that makes you want to cut open a vein. The first few days I was falling asleep at my desk from the music, and figured out by the looks I was receiving that these people don't think its okay to listen to your iPod all day while you work. They do at record labels, that's all I'm saying.

If her music isn't bad enough, she snorts all day. At first I thought it was because she was sick, and I was really hoping this was the reason. I don't think it is. I think she just enjoys it. She comes to work in her gym clothes, works out on her lunch break, and comes back, in the same gym clothes, for the rest of the day. Why am I the only one that doesn't think this is okay??

The best part about this whole thing is the work they have me doing. Customer. Service. Call me crazy, but I always thought the whole role of customer service representatives was foolish. I don't understand why people can't just figure things out for themselves. You type one word in google and a million things pop up, surely the answer to whatever ridiculous question you may have can be found there. Working in customer service is one of those things I've always seen as the type of job you get when you don't finish college and don't know the different between "then" and "than." And now I'm doing it. And they expect me to be nice when these people ask their outrageous questions that are clearly posted on the website. The day they put me on the phones, I am going to cry.