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An Internship Tale: My Leap from Barely Coping to Creating

Elena Anetrella,

Once upon a time, in a land filled with dumbbells and protein shakes, I was trapped in the boring routine of managing a fitness studio. My days were a blur of yoga mats, treadmills, and way too many conversations about membership prices.

Every day was like a rerun of the same bad sitcom episode and I was the main character in the world’s most repetitive series. My only lines: “Two more reps!”, “Feel the burn!” I’d imagine plot twists, starring me doing anything else. It was relentless.

Sure, guiding people through their fitness journey was rewarding, but I was a hamster on a wheel — running but going nowhere.

I’ve never been much of a “career” person. The idea of climbing the corporate ladder in a little cubicle, surrounded by robotic minds, never appealed to me. Maybe it’s because I’m afraid of heights, or more likely it’s my desire to break from conventional expectations. What I’ve always truly wanted was to follow my passion for writing, which I put on the back burner when I believed it to be an unrealistic expectation after taking time off from school.

Finally, after herding hundreds of sweaty gym rats through countless workouts, I decided to rewrite my own script. I went back to school, dusted off my creative writing skills, and began typing away. The experience resurrected my joy in playing with words and letting my imagination run free, far beyond the confines of a health club.

How I Learned to Love Rebellion

Through a connection, I snagged a copywriting internship at Rebellion Group, a dynamic digital marketing agency in Cheshire. It’s not your run-of-the-mill internship. No coffee-fetching, no lunch pickups, I don’t jot down meeting notes. I was welcomed into a team where creativity flowed like free wifi at Starbucks and I was put to work immediately.

At Rebellion Group, I work with an amazing team of creative minds, bouncing ideas off of each other like a mental game of tennis. Each day is a new adventure — quite the contrast to my days of picking heavy things up and putting them down. I’ve been exposed to the world of paid social media, content creation, blog posts, and so much more.

Team meetings here are not just about status updates, but rather a melting pot of ideas where all input is valued, and everyone’s knowledge is appreciated. I don’t feel like a passive listener; I’m an active contributor, asked to brainstorm with graphic designers, web developers, and marketing experts.

Pursuing Passion

My life feels like a never-ending juggling act. Balancing school, a part-time job, and an internship can be overwhelming. It’s like trying to ride a unicycle while juggling flaming torches — challenging and a little scary but exhilarating.

But through it all, I see my internship as my oasis. It’s where the magic happens. Writing copy, brainstorming ideas, researching interesting topics, and attending creative meetings stirs my soul.

Sure, it’s exhausting, and there are days when I feel like I’m one email away from a complete meltdown, BUT I always remind myself why I’m doing this: to pursue my passion and finally break free from the crushing dullness that once held me trapped. I love learning. I love writing. I love hearing from like-minded and even not-so-like-minded people. I wake up excited about the day ahead and the new opportunity it offers to learn and grow; a far cry from what used to be.

Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll be reading one of my articles published in a magazine, see my name associated with a classic viral campaign, or critique me as the author of a bestseller.

Looking back, I realize how far I’ve come from the days of discussing the amount of calories in a client’s kale salad dressing. My Rebellion Group internship has opened doors I never knew existed and introduced me to a world where creativity is celebrated and encouraged. It’s given me a platform to hone my skills and be surrounded by individuals who inspire and challenge me to be my best self. It’s a place where my ideas are valued and I can be a rebel in the best way.

To anyone feeling stuck on the same hamster wheel I was in, dreaming of a different path, take the leap, I say this: rewrite your script and pursue your passion. As for me, I’ll keep writing and rebelling against the ordinary. Life is too short to do anything else.