My internship took place at the Instructional Kitchen located in The Ohio State Union. I worked along side fellow interns under the head chef. We helped prepare and plan for classes.

Through this internship I saw a transformation in myself. I had to learn how to keep myself accountable. As the semester was already unusual, having to complete 180 hours of an internship made it a little chaotic. I had to learn how to stay organized so I could complete my school work as well as get in enough internship hours. I also saw a change in my confidence. I had to learn how to reach out of my confidence zone when I needed help. Overall, I learned that I am capable of doing anything if I put my mind to it.

Furthermore, the people I worked with led me to my transformations. Having a team of interns to work with helped me gain perspective. As they had their own stuff going on, they still showed up and worked hard. Being able to see others be persistent made me want to work twice as hard.

Not only did the interns impact me, but Chef Wolf, the head chef, taught me more than how to properly cut garlic. Chef Wolf showed us important lessons to carry into our future careers in hospitality. He was able to show us that even that hardest things can be fun. He pushed us to think critically about how we prepare for a class. He also gave us responsibilities that we may have not stepped up to take. He liked to challenge us.

Last but not least, my relationship with myself taught me more than I could have ever thought. It was hard to say no to fun things when I knew I had other important things going on. I had to make hard decisions to be able to grow throughout my internship. I didn’t go through the motions but created the learning experiences for myself. I discovered a new side of me that is confident and knows what I want.

This experience is valuable to my life because I can carry the things I learned to all areas of my life. Knowing that I have the confidence to go out of my comfort zone opens many new doors that I may have never seen without this internship. Also, the relationships I have made are new connections for me to reach out to as I further my education. This internship showed me that I am capable of great things no matter how big or small. I am forever grateful for the time I spend in the instructional Kitchen.