Why You Should Do An Internship Abroad In New York

From a young age I always knew I wanted to live and work in New York. The Devil Wear’s Prada definitely encouraged the idea! Though it wasn’t the experience I was expecting, much like the Devil Wears Prada, here’s why I think you should do an Internship in New York. I’ll be diving into the professional and personal growth potential this vibrant city offers. The hustle and bustle environment being fast paced was so appealing, I needed to experience it for myself so if you feel the same, I get you!

A year into my Graphic Communication degree, at age 19 you could say I had luxurious plans on a student budget. I wasn’t loving my course, I wanted to blend photography and fashion into it equally, which wasn’t possible. Therefore I did everything I could in my spare time to tick all the boxes I had a calling to. My New York vision of working in Fashion, catching the subway around the city, and eating New York style pizza was a non-negotiable… Whether my bank balance was on board with it or not. Though the internship needed to be done alongside my degree, I was sure I could make it work.

NYC Internship Empire State

How to intern abroad in New York

Applying for an internship in New York wasn’t the easiest I will admit. I applied for every opportunity within fashion photography that I could find, I only heard back from un-paid positions. I later found out for tax reasons I actually needed to avoid getting a paid internship anyway, so this actually worked out perfectly.  After a lot of searching, I found a photographer who shot regularly for Vogue and hired interns – bingo. We had a few interviews over zoom and my university had calls and emails exchanged beforehand. When everything got signed off, I felt like the luckiest person in the world to finally be living my dream!

The benefits of interning abroad

New York City is a global hub for business, finance, fashion, media and technology. If you’re someone who thrives off being in a busy City before entering work for the day, you’re in the right place. Interning exposes you to a diverse range of industries and provides such valuable networking opportunities. I didn’t personally network outside of work as I was filling my evenings with sightseeing and events organized by my accommodation. It is possible to connect with industry leaders, attend conferences and build relationships that will benefit your career in the long term.

The fast paced environment can accelerate your professional growth and challenge you in ways that isn’t possible anywhere else. For me it was tough being away from everyone I knew, on another time zone and in a City I’d never been to before. However the experience as a whole was so worth it. It really depends on the reasons for why you’re going in the first place as to how it’s best to spend your down time.

Having “New York City” on your CV or resume can carry weight in many industries. Employers often value the experience and skills gained from working in such a competitive environment. They don’t call it the City that never sleeps for nothing!

Where to stay

The Webster apartments hosted me while I was interning. The accommodation was focussed on hosting women short term that were either interning or studying abroad. They offered breakfast and dinner with the cost of the stay which was amazing as it meant it was one less thing I had to sort out with a very full schedule. That being said, the meal times were at specific times of the day so when I was working late I would miss dinner and have to pick something up.

The webster apartments NYC

Adventures in New York

Whilst living in New York I was grateful to have two friends come and visit me during my stay to explore the City with. Trips to Macy’s after work and visiting Times Square casually didn’t feel the slightest bit real, it was so lovely to share that with people from back home. I made lots of new friends in the accommodation I was staying in as well so the evenings were packed with exploring. Before coming to NYC I knew I wanted to do day or weekend trips to Washington and Boston. However the realities of needing to work some weekends meant I didn’t have as much ‘free time’ as initially thought. Top tip – make sure to ask about work hours extending past 9-5 and how that works ahead of time. Being young and naive I didn’t check this ahead of coming and had a lot of late nights. Nonetheless I did manage to squeeze in a trip to Washington by booking seats on a MegaBus for the day. It was so pretty to experience the Capitol with my best friend from home. It’s an amazing city so definitely be sure to head there if you get the opportunity. Boston will happen in the future!

View of NYC from above

Lifestyle Experiences Abroad

Whilst living in New York I was grateful to have two friends come and visit me during my stay to explore the City with. Trips to Macy’s after work and visiting Times Square casually didn’t feel the slightest bit real, it was so lovely to share that with people from back home. I made lots of new friends in the accommodation I was staying in as well so the evenings were packed with exploring. Before coming to NYC I knew I wanted to do day or weekend trips to Washington and Boston. However the realities of needing to work some weekends meant I didn’t have as much ‘free time’ as initially thought. Top tip – make sure to ask about work hours extending past 9-5 and how that works ahead of time. Being young and naive I didn’t check this ahead of coming. Nonetheless I did manage to squeeze in a trip to Washington by booking seats on a MegaBus for the day. It was so pretty to experience the Capitol with my best friend from home. It’s an amazing city so definitely be sure to head there if you get the opportunity. Boston will happen in the future!

My favourite after work activities included:

  • Walking in Central Park
  • Visiting the court house
  • Hanging out at Times Square
  • Shopping in Macy’s

Best excursions I did during my time in New York:

NYC-Heli-Tour
Daytrip from NYC to Washington
Exploring Central Park

Final Thoughts About Doing An Internship in New York

Prior to this Internship I had never traveled alone, nor left the comfort of Europe. The decision to experience life as a New Yorker even for a few months, was very necessary. It pushed me further outside my comfort zone than I have ever been and grew so much as a person because of it! If you are on the fence about doing an internship in New York I would 100% say follow your dreams and go for it! Without this initial decision I doubt I would have ended up following the steps to living in Vancouver. If you’re interested to hear about that process, you can do so here! Or alternatively if you’re also a graphic designer, here are some tips for finding design work. 

Please do let me know if you end up taking the plunge, I would love to hear about it!

Love,Chrissy x

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