This past week was the first of my actual internship and it took some getting used to. Waking back up again at 7 in the morning was one of the harder parts. On my first day, they set me up with a desk and computer, gave me a tour, and then I got straight to work. I did some tasks in logistics and translating documents from German to English. Every day, we would then walk over and get lunch at the University of Potsdam (Griebnitzsee) and the food there was quite good. They also gave me a tour of the university, told me what it is known for, and then gave me some tips for food in the area. As the week went on, another thing that took getting used to was typing on a German keyboard. There are additional keys and some letters are in different positions which definitely led to a few spelling mistakes during my first couple of days. On Thursday, a friend of mine from Pitt came to Berlin. She was doing the Pitt in Munich study abroad program and was then doing independent travel afterward. We met up, walked around a bit, and got dinner. She told me about all she did in Munich, the classes she took, along with some of the memorable moments from her program.
As for this weekend, I went to the other stadium in Berlin, Stadion An der Alten Försterei, home of Union Berlin. This stadium was a lot different than the others I have seen as it was literally in the middle of the forest. It did take a while to get there as it is in the opposite part of Berlin from where we are staying. It was also the DFB Pokal Final in Berlin this week. I completely forgot about it and was a bit confused as to why there were so many RB Leipzig fans in the city. Later on, I saw Frankfurt fans and eventually put two and two together. Besides that, I did some shopping at the Mall of Berlin and on Sunday, I went to two flea markets and picked up some new stuff. Now that the weekend is coming to a close, I am preparing for work again tomorrow.
When it comes to managing my time at my internship, I got a good routine after the first couple of days after I knew what to expect. To make sure that I have the most time possible to complete all my tasks, I make sure to show up on time or whenever my supervisor tells me to come in. After getting settled, I then start my tasks for the day that were placed in my folder or on my desk. I make sure to ask questions as needed as I found that it is better to ask questions earlier than to sit in silence and waste time staring at the computer. I also coordinate with my supervisors about what work I should get done on a given day or week to make sure I can schedule it in a way that I can complete it all before the due date. The goals I set for myself have also helped me prioritize my time. My goals were to complete all assigned tasks, ask for guidance as needed, and learn as much as I can. This first week has definitely introduced me to how much goes into the logistics of my company and just how much it costs. I was completing files and overviews of offers that were received for a project. It is more than just picking the first route that shows up as the kilometers and hours must be considered as well. After this first week and seeing how it all works, I think my tasks in the upcoming weeks may go by quicker since I know what to somewhat expect.
As for prioritizing my tasks, I do the ones that will take longer in the morning/afternoon. That is when I have the most continuous hours of work since we go for lunch around 2 and do not get back until 3. That leaves me with only about 2 hours until the end of the work day. I prefer to have the time in the morning instead of rushing through them in the second half of my day. By being able to do my work continuously, I can finish it all without my train of thought being interrupted. By getting them done early, I can also get feedback during the first half of the day that I can then apply to things I may be doing later in the day or even the next day.