After a demanding and seemingly endless first week, I’ve finally begun to settle in and adjust to both the work and lifestyle in Seoul. The initial days were overwhelming, filled with a flood of information that made it difficult to process everything at once. One of the most surprising aspects of my experience so far has been my team dynamic. I was placed in a group with interns who are MBA students—professionals with years of experience behind them, many of whom are close to graduation. While I knew coming in that I would be working alongside skilled individuals, I hadn’t anticipated just how stark the difference in experience would be.
Although there is no expectation for me to perform at the same level as these interns, I still find myself feeling some pressure to keep up. Many of them are used to long work hours and have completed projects like this in their MBA programs, making them naturally more efficient in handling responsibilities. As a result, I sometimes catch myself losing focus, feeling unmotivated, or simply struggling to match their pace. However, despite the initial challenges, I believe that the progress we made during the first week strengthened our working relationship. We have started to build a dynamic that allows me to learn from them while still making meaningful contributions to the team.
It’s also worth noting that this internship presents a unique opportunity—one that shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s rare to work so closely with professionals who are further along in their careers, and I’m grateful to gain exposure to their thought processes, work ethic, and leadership styles. At the moment, our team lacks a direct supervisor since two employees who typically oversee our work are away on business trips. Instead, we’ve been working under the CEO, which is both exciting and a bit intimidating. While the relaxed nature of our team allows for a more open work environment, reporting directly to the CEO carries an added layer of pressure. Every task feels important, and every decision seems to carry more weight than if we were reporting to a mid-level manager.
When it comes to time management, I am still working on finding the right balance between my workload and personal time. The internship has been mentally and physically demanding, but I’ve been pushing through as best I can. Generally, my ability to focus depends on the type of work at hand. If the task is something I find engaging, I can work efficiently and maintain concentration for two or three hours before feeling the need for a break. On the other hand, if I’m working on something less interesting or repetitive, I tend to slow down, losing efficiency.
One challenge I’ve noticed is my tendency to jump between tasks rather than focusing on one thing at a time. For example, while researching potential companies for collaboration on an upcoming project, I found myself scanning multiple businesses simultaneously instead of thoroughly reviewing one at a time. Initially, I thought I was multitasking efficiently, but I quickly realized that this approach was hindering my ability to analyze each company properly. Additionally, because I was dividing my attention, my results came in all at once, rather than gradually, making it harder to track my progress. Recognizing this issue, I’ve been trying to shift toward a more structured workflow—one that allows me to focus on each task independently before moving on to the next.
Breaks during the workday are relatively flexible. We typically have an hour-long lunch break, which is usually spent with fellow interns, though sometimes the entire office joins in. The company is quite lenient when it comes to taking short breaks, allowing employees to step away for coffee, snacks, or a quick walk to refresh their minds. I’ve found that taking advantage of these brief moments to reset helps with maintaining productivity throughout the day.
After work, my evenings are relatively low-key. Since I usually get home around 8:00 PM, there’s not much time to engage in other activities. Most nights, I grab dinner with friends and then relax before preparing for the next day. While I wish I had more time for extracurriculars or exploring the city, the demanding work schedule doesn’t leave much room for anything beyond unwinding and catching up on sleep.
Looking ahead, one of my key focus areas will be improving my ability to manage time efficiently, both at work and in my personal life. Whether it’s structuring my tasks more effectively, learning better prioritization techniques, or simply finding ways to stay engaged, I know there’s plenty of room for growth. Despite the challenges, this internship is proving to be a valuable learning experience, and I’m eager to see how I continue to adapt in the weeks to come.