Dear Intern: We’re All in This Together

"We mistakenly sent out an empty test email to a portion of our HBO Max mailing list this evening...yes, it was the intern. No, really. And we're helping them through it. <3”  @HBOmaxHelp tweeted out on June 19. 

Though the Internet can at times be a cruel place, this tweet sparked a compassionate and humorous conversation. Instead of harsh criticism about the intern’s accidental email to thousands of people, the dialogue has been dominated by “dear intern” stories that expose hilarious mess-ups within the workplace and humanize the experience of a public work blunder. 

Buzz intern Eliot Aiman explores SunForceOceanLife at MFAH. (Photo: Katharine Stepanian)

As my month-long internship with The Buzz Magazines comes to a close, I have been reflecting on my time in the office, and trying to think if there has been anything utterly embarrassing that I’ve done; fortunately, nothing comes to mind, however, I do have a few good stories. 

Over the past 30 days, I have learned about myself and about the journalism industry. For instance, sometimes words will flow naturally while other times I’ll have to sit with my thoughts first, and you can find stories in the most unexpected places. Working with three other high school students who are just as determined as I am, reaffirmed how essential teamwork, compromise, and flexibility are. 

As we reach midsummer, many Buzz-area students have been participating in summer internships. So I decided to reach out directly and via social media and ask for funny, interesting, or embarrassing stories about their experiences. 

For example: Dear intern, if your assignment is to get stuck in traffic and take pictures and videos (from the passenger seat), hold the timelapsing camera so it doesn’t fall (and if it does fall, don’t flip the camera onto the other side or else the recording will be upside down). - Eliot Aiman, 17, The Buzz Magazines  

In case you couldn’t guess, we didn’t end up using the timelapse video for the article. But my fellow intern, Katharine Stepanian, and I did get some good photos for this story on Houston traffic! 

Buzz summer interns, Katharine Stepanian and Eliot Aiman, get sent to jail while exploring Houstonopoly.

Below are some of the responses I received - and to protect everyone’s identities, or in other words, keep everyone from getting fired, we’re keeping it anonymous.

“Dear Eliot, 
I would send you an internship story, but I was rejected from the program (laugh out loud).”
-Anonymous, age 17

“Dear Intern, 
One time I thought a kid at the pediatric office was playing a game of peek a boo but covering his mouth instead of his eyes until he coughed up vomit all over me.”
-Anonymous, age 17

“Dear Intern,
I spilled coffee in my boss' office on my first day at the internship. I didn't want him to notice the huge brown spot on the carpet so I moved his desk over a little to cover it up…”
-Anonymous, age 17

“Dear Intern, 
While working the phones for a radio station I accidentally put the name of a previous caller on the log. The show hosts put him through each time (the caller hung up both twice). After hanging up, the guy called a third time and changed his name. He finally got on the show and the hosts called me out on air in the process.”
-Anonymous, age 17

“Dear Intern, 
I interviewed for my internship at a tutoring service, where I would be helping preschoolers. I got the internship, and all I had to do was pass a simple test for young kids. The reading section was a breeze (as it should be), but the math section had 60 questions of long division and complex fraction equations by hand that had to be completed in 25 minutes. I could not finish the test, so I got up, and walked out of the tutoring place...even saw my principal on the way out who asked if I would be working there. My response was, 'possibly.' I emailed my boss that night and told her it would not work out." 
-Anonymous, age 17

Buzz interns Tulsi Parikh, Katharine Stepanian, and Eliot Aiman had a blast exploring the Children's Museum together. 

“Dear (future) Intern, 
One month will fly by. Don’t be nervous, you’ll have so much fun, meet many new people, and learn lots!”
-Eliot Aiman, 17, The Buzz Magazines

Editor's note: We feel so lucky to have so many bright, talented, hard-working interns every summer. Have your own "Dear Intern" story? Comment below or email us at [email protected].