CAMP PEOPLE (and Jack) are the best people
By Naomi Yankellow
Ever since I was little, I went to sleep away camp. Sleep away camp was my home away from home. It was the thing I looked forward to most each year; being able to see camp friends and to make new ones. As I got older, and with constant reminders from my mom, I knew that my time at camp was coming to an end and I had to grow up and get a “big girl job.” The need for a “big girl job” became more real as part of my degree requirements as an Indiana University student pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management is a 12 week, 480 hour internship. I made the heart wrenching decision to forgo working at camp this past summer to work toward completing my degree requirements.
When beginning my search for an internship I was shocked by how uninterested I was in many of the internships that responded to my inquiries. I was not sure if anyone that I actually wanted to work for would hire me, and equally as important, pay me. I was worried that I would have to settle and spend my summer not only not at camp, but also not doing something I enjoyed. Then, I was assigned to do an informational interview with a professional in my industry for one of my classes. I remember a camp staff member mentioning Jen, a former camp legend, who worked in the events industry. Soon after, I connected with Jen on LinkedIn and reached out to her asking for an interview.
Once Jen and I were able to sit down and meet, I immediately felt comfortable in her presence. Hearing about how she grew in the events industry, I could tell how much she loved the industry she was a part of. In the interview I learned more about her company and her team. She told me about Jack, a brilliant Aussie/Brit who is the best Director of Production imaginable, and Shira, another spectacular previous camp legend who is kind and organized. Jen emphasized just how important her team is to her and I could see that she holds them to the highest regard. Shortly after that call, Jen offered me an internship with her company, Falik Rains Productions. I will forever be grateful that she recognized my potential and gave me the opportunity to learn and grow under her and her team.
(I'm on the bottom left, and you can see my Taylor Swift and Jonas Brother's posters in the back)
The first day of my internship, I was nervous. I felt like an inexperienced college student that was simply sitting in on meetings to be silent, observe, and learn. Jen recognized my hesitation to jump in and made sure that I felt comfortable to speak my mind as I was there to learn, and I would not learn much by staying silent. Being surrounded by supportive and encouraging people like Jen, Jack, and Shira, helped the imposter syndrome wear off almost immediately. With their guidance, I quickly became more confident and was able to invest more in myself and our clients.
My summer consisted of online meetings with spectacular clients, traveling to conferences, team meetings in New York City, delicious dinners, show tunes, and not being carded at restaurants (don’t worry, I am 21, but it was exciting to feel like I looked like I am!) Even though this was all fun, there were moments that were stressful too. At our first conference of the summer, Jen left me in charge of making sure the closing reception was being set up properly. There were some issues with the layout of the room, so I quickly ran over to Jen to ask what we should do. She said “what would you do?” Flustered, I told her what I thought could be a solution. She replied “I trust you,” and I went on my way. At the time, I could not believe that an experienced professional like Jen would trust a 21 year old college student with the closing reception of a large conference for one of her clients. But, I figured it out, like she said, and everything went smoothly. The trust she put in me allowed me to feel confident problem solving and gave me a sense of responsibility and authority that I felt I did not have before. Once the room was set up and attendees started pouring in, drinking, dancing, and having a great time, I couldn’t help but feel accomplished. At that moment, I felt as though Jen, Shira, and Jack celebrated me and my contributions to the event almost as much as they celebrated the end of a great conference.
Even though this internship was about gaining experience and learning in the events industry, I feel as though I gained so much more. I was given a new sense of excitement and passion for the industry that I am choosing to go into. I also gained an incredible support system that made sure my growth was not only professional, but personal. I can not emphasize enough just how amazing Jen, Jack, and Shira are and how much I respect them. They were always open and honest with me about their lives and shared many expert tips on becoming an adult. I feel like I am more prepared for the world, and my future “big girl job,” because of what I learned from them. I learned to get an Amex platinum card to get the best travel perks, to not be afraid of turning 30, that botox is not a bad thing, that being true to the people around you is one of the best virtues you can have, and that you never stop growing. My experience with FRP was greater than I could have ever imagined because of the team of people Jen surrounds herself with. So, even though it wasn’t camp, it was camp people (+ Jack), and that’s all I really needed.
