Nerissa’s End of Internship
It’s absolutely amazing how quickly six months has passed. It seems like yesterday that I moved across the country from Miami, slightly resistant to starting life from square one, but also excited to learn as much as I could before entering the world as a professional music therapist. There were so many highlights during my internship, including the joy of sharing music at Jam Sessions, the annual recital when my clients got to show off their hard work on various instruments, and a client’s CD release party which was maybe one of the most fun things I’ve ever attended, much less been a part of. I’ve been so inspired by my clients, who have shown me that even though they may have challenges, they are capable of so much and can accomplish great things. As my internship comes to a close, I would like to share some important tips and things I have learned in order to be a successful professional:
Timeliness. I have adjusted to the laid-back lifestyle in San Diego, but I still consider timeliness to be important. Arriving on time shows your clients and your team that you value their time and are ready to work. As a youth orchestra conductor once taught me: “Early is on time. On time is late. Late is wrong.”
Preparation. In internship, there are many session plans and various assignments to be prepared. It is important to use your time wisely in order to maximize your productivity. When you are prepared going into sessions, you can devote your entire focus on the client, and not on trying to figure out how to play a song as you go or what you will do next.
Organization. With so many clients on the caseload, and so many internship assignments, it is easy to get overwhelmed. It is important to develop an organization system that works for you so that you can plan how to use your time and how to organize the various documents, visuals, and instruments that are needed on a daily basis.
Now that internship is done, I am looking forward to my next adventure: a Master’s program in Art, Creativity, Education & Culture at the University of Cambridge! On to the next!
-Nerissa
