My ASME summer intern experience began as everyone else’s did — with a 3-day crash course detailing everything we’d need to know about our first foray into the magazine media field. What ASME did so well in their scheduling of speakers was preparing us interns for whatever we might experience. The speakers we were exposed to ranged from copy chiefs to deputy editors to SEO-experts. Their advice was supported by pages of guidelines for what to know, what to expect and what not to do while interning. This intensive 3-day program had me expecting the worst (I tend to stress about things) While the enthusiasm from our speakers was unanimously present and their advice clearly well-thought out, I couldn’t help but fear for the presumably high-pressure atmosphere I’d soon be entering.                 However, my experience at Men’s Fitness was anything but stressful. I was quickly introduced to other interns as well as print editors and digital editors, all of whom were treated with the same amount of respect and kindness. I quickly learned the questions were encouraged, not ridiculed. Ideas were supported, fleshed out, and sometimes brought to fruition on the website. Assignments were fun, involved, and a joy, not tedious or boring. The daily morning meetings that I was allowed to attend and contribute to were things that everyone in the office looked forward to. This was a change from my prior assumption about meetings at work, that they were things people dreaded. Instead, everyone on the digital team entered the meetings with smiles, eager to here what story ideas their coworkers had in mind. These ideas were laughed about, fiercely debated, and fleshed out. Topics of conversation brought up by interns were treated as seriously as those broached by editors. The work environment I was accepted to was one of equality, genuine interest, and enthusiasm.

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