I am currently working towards a psychology major and newly introduced marketing minor! With one year left until I graduate with my BA. However, I must mention, it’s been a long and winding journey. In my first year I changed my major twice, once to nursing and then back to psychology. Honestly, throughout the year I became frustrated and lost my drive for planning my future… I never considered marketing until I spoke to my grandma. She is a retiree of a global financial firm where she managed the marketing department and became a global leader of their advertising business. She encouraged me to pursue it because she felt it’s a good fit with natural skills and psychology background. I jumped into this new field and while that was scary, I am so thankful I did it. I would’ve never realized how interning at Maintain incorporates a previous interest of mine and fills my spirit. The only way to get exposure to possible passions is to participate in them! There is so much to do in the world so don’t get intimidated, put yourself out there!
Old Interest
Marketing and psychology go hand in hand. I never realized this fact before this internship. Read my previous article about the correlation of these two fields here. While psychology is the first interest that lured me to marketing, it’s the marketing process and multiple aspects of marketing that rekindled my creativity. Through the design portion of this internship, I have been using Adobe, and actively using XD, photoshop, possibly illustrator. There are so many creative platforms and resources to bring creativity to life. This may not mean much to many, however for me it served to remind me that I am in the right place. In high school, digital design was my favorite class. I earned a certification in Adobe photoshop and genuinely considered becoming a designer. However, after changing schools that spark dwindled away. So how very cool that I am back to doing it!
Put yourself out there
Not only is the photoshop access amazing but jumping into this new unfamiliar field forced me to make a decision which gave me peace of mind. In the months leading up to summer, I had a zoom call with the owner of Maintain, Elisa Morey. She answered a billion questions about marketing and from our meeting I gathered that if I came in ready to learn, they would teach me. Later that same afternoon I applied for this position! Making the leap, starts with an open mind and I’m telling you the fulfillment and drive I feel again reassures me I’m doing something right. That is why I cannot encourage it enough, take the first step.
Don’t let intimidation get the best of you
Lastly don’t let intimidation scare you off. I am typically the youngest in the room which can be very intimidating. As I have gotten older and now entering adulthood, I’ve become so much more conscious of it. I’m still working through it and I’m learning it’s okay to let your guard down and take a leap into a new world where your talents can grow and take form. Find people that are willing to teach you and take advantage of it. A little reminder for you, confidence lives in the brain, so tap into it, while it’s scary you’ll probably realize it’s totally worth it.
