Day in the Life of an Intern

Now that I’m completely settled into my routine, here’s a peek behind the curtains at what a mundane day-in-the-life looks like as an intern living in Dublin. 

7:00 a.m. 

Time to wake up and head downstairs to the gym!  While my morning routine hasn’t been completely consistent this summer, I’ve tried to take advantage of having a gym conveniently located in our apartment building. 

8:00a.m. 

I need to start getting ready for work.  I don’t like to be too rushed in the morning, so I budget enough time to read an extra chapter of my book, make breakfast, and pack lunch for the day. 

9:30a.m. 

It’s time to start my commute to work.  I’m lucky enough to have a fellow IES student, Albanie, interning at the same company as me.  We walk about ten minutes to the train station and ride a few stops to our co-working space.  In total, our commute takes about half an hour. 

10:00 a.m.

Work officially begins at 10.  Albanie and I sit at one of the long co-working tables and begin our assignments for the day until our boss stops by for her daily check-in.  We’re working for a small startup that is focused on career counseling for high school students.  Albanie works on developing the career guidance modules, while I am focused on digital marketing.  My current task is designing headers for the startup’s social media platforms.  I don’t have very much graphic design or marketing experience, so I’m developing some brand new skills. 

1:00p.m. 

I eat my lunch outside today and FaceTime with my little sister, Izzy.   

2:00p.m.

I’m back at work.  I talk briefly with my boss about my current assignment.  She gives me permission to begin uploading my designs from Canva onto the social media platforms. 

3:00p.m.

Now, I have a new assignment that is more research-based.  My boss is giving a presentation in November and wants me to complete the preliminary research.  I’ve started a document filled with research questions that are awaiting approval. 

5:00p.m. 

I’m back in my apartment, but it’s a quick turn around because I’m in desperate need of groceries.  I grab my tote bags, press play on a podcast, and begin the walk to the store.  Grocery shopping is a new habit after spending the past year living in a dorm, but I really enjoy making my grocery list and planning out my meals in advance.  I also really appreciate that in Dublin the cultural norm is to bring your own reusable bags to the store.  The U.S. should take notes! 

5:30

I decide to make my trip to the store a little bit more exciting by stopping by Cookieboy, a bakery I’ve been meaning to try for the past few weeks.  I highly recommend the raspberry cheesecake cookie!

6:30pm 

I prepare salad and put some frozen french fries in the oven.  It’s a simple dinner, but my focus isn’t on cooking tonight.  I’m meeting with some of my roommates to plan our upcoming weekend trips.  We spend almost two hours discussing departure times and hotel arrangements.  I’m so excited to travel in the upcoming weeks!

8:00p.m.

It’s time to start winding down for the day.  I spend some time on a writing project, watch an episode of Brooklyn 99, and read a few chapters of my book.  I also spend this time playing Game Pigeon golf with my sister.  It’s one of the ways we’ve kept in constant communication despite our distance this summer. 

11:00p.m. 

I turn off all my lights and finally try to fall asleep.  Good night!