The Big Apple

My first couple of weeks in the city have been busy ones! Everything here is incredibly fast-paced, which I love. There is always something to do, someplace to be, and someone to be there with. I definitely miss the lush greenery from back home, but at least there is Central Park for when I need my dose of nature. Even though you can see skyscrapers peeking in over the trees, it's the closest thing to being back home in a park.

Having completed two weeks of work, I've had a chance to settle in and begin understanding the inner workings of the financial industry and J.P. Morgan itself. Since starting, the biggest thing that has made my internship enjoyable is the people that I am around. Each person whom I have met within the company has been extraordinarily welcoming, kind, and patiently answers the dozens of questions I ask each day. I have received genuine advice from many of them and have never once felt like "just an intern" while being here. The company culture is truly something to fall in love with.

It All Started With A Mouse

Today, I packed up my ears as my Disney internship came to a close.

These past several months have been eye-opening and fun-filled. I made friends I will never forget and new memories that I will always cherish. I never imagined spending a semester on co-op, let alone on co-op for Disney. Even as I prepare for my 24 hour drive home, it truly seems surreal that I spent 5 months working for the mouse.

Aside from everything I learned while working for Disney, I really grew as an individual. It was interesting living outside of the Midwest for the first time in my life. I learned that driving across town no longer means a five minute drive, but can take an hour when you're stuck in traffic. I also learned that, unlike in the Midwest, inland bodies of water can't be swam in. There are simply too many gators looking for a snack.

Days like today are always the worst part of an internship, saying good-bye. Or as I am constantly reminded, it's just a "see you later." So I will see you later Florida and everyone who I had a chance to connect with. Thank you for an amazing few months.

Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend

The end of this past week was a tiring one. I learned what it means to work Disney's third shift. Various Industrial Engineering interns had signed up to work the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend. The weekend includes the "Frozen 5K", the "Enchanted 10K", and of course the "Disney Princess Half Marathon" finished off the weekend. Each race was on a different day and started very early. This meant that anyone working the event, including us interns, had to arrive at the venue before road closures began. I worked the 5K and the 10K races, meaning I had to wake up around 2 AM each day and arrive at work by 3 AM.

These races bring thousands of participants to Disney, as well as their friends and family who tagalong to cheer on the racers. These special events are the perfect place for Industrial Engineers! We help make sure that there is enough transportation, that runners are at the starting line on time, and that friends/family know where to watch from. Anything that doesn't go quite as expected serves as a learning experience for the following year.

If I had known how much fun the Princess Marathon events were, I definitely would have done the 5K. Most of the runners dressed to the princess theme, running the event in princess running gear, tutus, tiaras, and more!

Photo: The Walt Disney Company

My favorites were the generations of grandmas, mothers, and daughters who all dressed alike and ran the races together. There were even a handful of dads who dressed up as Princes and ran with their daughters! It definitely made me miss my family a lot.

Working part of the night shift has given me a newfound respect for employees who have to work nighttime hours on a regular basis. It was truly tough finding the strength to fall asleep at 7 PM and then waking up in the early hours of the day. However, one of the best parts of being at Epcot so early was getting an amazing view of the sunrise!

ESPN Wide World of Sports

Today, I had the opportunity to work an event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports! I didn't know this before working for Disney, but ESPN is actually owned by The Walt Disney Company. For this reason, ESPN has an enormous sports complex located on Disney property in Lake Buena Vista. 

The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex spans 220 acres, encompassing a variety of sports fields and hosting a multitude of events throughout the year for both professional and amateur athletes. I myself will have the opportunity to use some of these fields! Disney has many recreational sports leagues for its employees. Some of the full-timers and interns in the Industrial Engineering department have decided to create a softball team. We will get to play most of our games at ESPN for this league!

As an Industrial Engineering intern, it can be expected to work the occasional weekend. Though this is optional, weekend shifts are an opportunity to expand our scope of the company. For today's shift, eight of us were stationed at ESPN for six hours to work the National High School Cheerleading Championships. Working this event really allowed me to learn about a part of the company I had never seen before.