Great Expectations: My Internship at the Office of the President

Eleonora Björnberg is currently interning with the Community & Outreach Team in the Office of the President of ETH Zurich. With a focus on international communications, she supports the ETH Circle pilot project and helps manage the team’s social media channels. She is one of the Editors of the Ambassadors Blog, and has been responsible for most of the posts this summer. In this candid essay, she explains her key takeaways from the experience.

Decisions, Decisions...

In July 2022 I finished my Matura at the MNG Rämibühl. After a year of countless exams, a Maturarbeit and constant pressure to deliver the right grades, I was burnt out. Throughout my time in high school, I struggled with my mental health, but the looming final exams were the straw that broke the camel’s back. Faced with the prospect of being unable to write the exams, I finally started seeing a therapist. The last thing expected of this very sleep-deprived and stressed-out gymi-student was that she would jump headfirst into the world of work during the final exams.

I made the decision to apply for the position of Intern in the Office of the President mostly because I felt that was what was expected of me. The internship in the Community & Outreach team would start on the Monday after my written final exams, and last until the week before the beginning of the Semester, when I would start my Bachelor’s in Biology at ETH Zurich. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to recover over the summer holidays because I would be working the whole time, especially since many of my friends were planning their travel-filled gap years. However, the thought of an internship seemed so adult, and getting the job made me incredibly excited.

Walking into the maze that is ETH on my first day, I felt incredibly intimidated. The building itself is as imposing as it is beautiful, and I had never set foot in it before. While I had practically memorized my job description, and my duties as an intern were patiently outlined several times, I still had no idea what to expect. How was I supposed to be useful in any way when I had no experience working, let alone in the realm of public relations and communications?

Learning By Doing (With a Little Help Along the Way)

As it turns out, anyone can be made helpful if aided accordingly. My wonderful supervisor Viktoria immediately figured out where my strengths lie and played to them at every possible opportunity. From the moment she picked me up at our meeting point on the first day, she took me under her wing and guided me through the initially scary environment. I got to sit in on all her meetings and watch her work her magic on everything from social media posts to event planning (and expertly piecing together conference furniture that an enigmatologist would have trouble with). Viktoria managed to create such a pleasant but challenging work environment that I couldn’t wait to get up in the mornings to go to work, a welcome change after four years of dreading the alarm.

Over the course of this internship, I’ve met and conversed with the most inspiring people, learned about the ins and outs of office life, and become a more confident person as a result. I’m in my final month of a three-month internship and I barely recognize myself. My worries about not being able to recover mentally were unfounded – I’ve been given more freedom to work from home and take days off than I could imagine. I have more responsibilities than I expected, and can give my input and opinions freely. Simultaneously, I really enjoy the work that I’m allowed to do and participate in. The Community & Outreach Team is made up entirely of women, who have all become role-models to me. I admire their perseverance in a male-dominated environment, and how effortless they make their work seem, when it is anything but. They’ve been endlessly patient with me and have not only always made me feel welcome, but have offered guidance and interest in my perspective.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going

That’s not to say that I haven’t made mistakes; I was just given the right tools and environment to learn every possible lesson I could. There have been many challenges: socializing with very intelligent and successful people, even though it seemed very scary at first. Working during the summer heat wave, when the office has no air-conditioning to speak of (this was resolved by working from home, permanently attached to my fan and an ice pack). Learning how to continue being effective during home office, by structuring my days and establishing a “work spot”. Recognizing the importance of “Hochschulpolitik” and what it means for our work. Learning to ask for help without feeling like a disappointment.

In three weeks, I’ll begin my studies at ETH. I’m still just as intimidated by the building itself (and still occasionally get lost on my way to the bathroom), but I feel ready to face this next challenge. Working all summer gave me structure that I desperately needed. Had I not had a routine and made these wonderful experiences, I doubt I would feel so prepared.