My Intern Experience with GAAP Dynamics, Round Two
Another year gone, huh?
A lot has changed between my summers at GAAP Dynamics. With an internship and a newfound confidence in my filmmaking abilities under my belt, I’ve since shifted my education towards music and film, or what I’ve been calling “a crash course in unemployment”, reducing my planned math major to a minor. On campus I’ve had more opportunities to work behind the camera, working as a photographer for clubs on campus and helping with publicity for an opera company. I wasn’t living in the same stuffy dorm, and sleeping underneath mildew stains was a thought I scarcely remembered. Unlike last year, summer wasn’t something I was anxious heading into; it was something I was excited to experience.
All this to say, when I started back at GAAP Dynamics, I had a stronger understanding of what I wanted to achieve with my time here and what I could offer to the company.
Last year, much of my time was spent figuring out how I fit into my role; I started off editing audio and creating Vyond videos for projects that were helmed by other people. While I loved working on these projects, I didn’t feel much ownership over what I made. Meanwhile, the members of the DMLS team were gradually leaving for new opportunities, meaning anybody I met wouldn’t be around for very long. Granted, towards the end of the summer, the winds began to change. I had the opportunity to work on a project of my own with the update of the company’s careers video, and the DMLS team began to settle into the team it is today. I finally felt like I had found my spot.
And then summer ended.
This year, I was determined to make something of myself. Fortunately for me, GAAP Dynamics is a company where that could happen.
When I first met with Mike Walworth and Vicky Hale about returning last semester, the first thing mentioned (aside from my obvious lack of sleep, because sleep is a controlled substance for college students) was the opportunity to spearhead a project of my own when I returned to the office. Stemming from an idea Clark had, we started planning what would eventually become a series of Accounting in Three Minutes videos.
Arriving back at the office, I was given a course to program, a course to update, and videos to plan, shoot, and edit. I felt like I was back in a groove with the DMLS team, as if no time had passed between summers. This summer felt like the culmination of everything I had worked towards last year.
Being part of GAAP Dynamics, I had the opportunity to work on five video projects and produce four of them. Between an ad for the Revolution and the aforementioned topic videos, I regularly got a chance to film and edit, more than I ever did at school. Building courses and experimenting more and more with what each software was capable of, I got a chance to implement lessons I had learned from my film classes.
And now, with another two months under my belt, what’s changed?
Preceding the summer, I made one of the biggest choices of my life, foregoing the balance of a practical major for a creative major. I risked the safety of landing a stable career for passion, which was terrifying for me; as much as I loved my passions, I couldn’t quell the anxiety that I wasn’t capable of making a job out of them. I went into this summer hoping that it would help answer my questions. Like last year, my internship hasn’t solved my anxiety. I don’t think anything will solve my anxiety. But it certainly has softened it.
Being a part of the DMLS team is a reminder that skills learned in one industry can be transferred to another. Not one member of the team left college aiming to go into eLearning, but between skills developed through learning journalism, art, production, and education, everyone has found something to contribute to the team, and how to rely on each other.
So, with all that, what advice would I give to future interns?
- A person is not a team. You can’t anticipate knowing how to do everything, nor that your skills will cover everything asked of you. Your team has skills to help you just as much as you have skills to help them.
- An education is not a destination. College is about developing skills that will help you in your major, but those skills aren’t exclusive to one career, and you can find ways to use them in anything you choose to do.
- Ask what you can do to help. You know you better than anyone else, which means you know your particular capabilities and interests. If you offer up your skills and abilities, you can find your specific niche that will offer you the most fulfillment in your time here. You just have to ask.
If you’ll excuse the twenty-year old college student for doling out life advice, I think that everything I’ve learned here is something I’ll take with me as I continue my college career. Yes, I’m still figuring out what my path in life will be, and I’ll always be worried about working in an industry whose future is getting more competitive and uncertain with each passing day, but at the same time, it’s comforting to know that anything is possible, and that the future I’m looking for isn’t the only one I need to follow.
I’m excited to see where my next few years of college lead me, but I’m glad to know that the connections, skills, and friends I’ve made here will be behind me for the ride, and for that I’ll forever be grateful.
Thanks for a wonderful two years!
About GAAP Dynamics
We’re a DIFFERENT type of accounting training firm. We view training as an opportunity to empower professionals to make informed decisions at the right time. Whether it’s U.S. GAAP, IFRS, or audit training, we’ve trained thousands of professionals since 2001, including at some of the world’s largest firms. Our promise: Accurate, relevant, engaging, and fun training. Want to know how GAAP Dynamics can help you? Let’s talk!
Disclaimer
This post is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as official accounting guidance. While we’ve ensured accuracy as of the publishing date, standards evolve. Please consult a professional for specific advice.
