A lot of people set the bar up real high in work life, no matter the type of job. The stakes are high and the bar is practically glued to the roof so hopping over it is merely impossible. The effort must always be at least 110 percent. 

I’ve always been a high achiever at work. It means I have unrealistic expectations regarding my skills and knowledge. And I should always go with the flow of my work life, putting work over everything else and always taking that one extra assignment or shift. I expect perfect performance from myself starting from day one. This kind of thinking can’t be harmful, can it? Well, that isn’t quite the case.

Respecting your own boundaries and spare time is a vital part of work life skills. People often think of hard-working people as those who sacrifice their free time and mental capacity for the sake of their job. And if they can do it, so can I!

Then we’re at the verge of a burnout for at least the next three days.

I’m often a bit too harsh towards myself in work life. This was greatly emphasized during my internship. Already after my first week I was expecting the same level of skills and expertise from myself than the people in SAMOK had. And I don’t think anyone here was expecting me to be perfect or have the knowledge of a specialist – anyone except me. Why the hell am I thinking like this, I thought to myself. Internships are meant for learning, no one is born a master.

It is a lot more pleasant to focus on your job if you shake off the unrealistic expectations regarding your own abilities. You just have to rip off the bar on the roof, accept the fact that it is okay to be a rookie and be open to learn. IIt is a lot easier to focus on working if you give yourself space and patience to learn. 

In my time in SAMOK I have been a part of a safe, understanding work environment where people always help and support you when you need it. It is with wistful thoughts I leave, as I have genuinely enjoyed my time here. At the beginning of my internship, I didn’t really know what to expect. But now as my internship is coming to an end I am very interested in organisational activities. SAMOK was an inviting, exciting place to have my internship in.

SAMOK has been a remarkable milestone on my career path and I have gotten so much out of it in just three months. The variety of assignments and projects revolving around things important to me have made my experience here interesting and lively. I feel that I have gained quite thorough abilities to work in the communications field in the future. My steady path towards journalism has gained a new trail that I can take in the future.

Despite all the concrete work skills I’ve learned, I think the most important thing I’ve learned during my time here can be applied to every single section of life – I can be understanding towards myself. I don’t need to know every single thing the second I walk into a new workplace. Everything will come to me in time.

I want to thank everyone in SAMOKs staff and the board of 2022 for their friendliness, support and help. Throughout this autumn I have been very pleased with my first internship place and I’ve learned more in these three months than I could’ve ever imagined. I’ll remember my time here for a long time. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all!