As the end of my internship encroaches I am feeling like I have accomplished my goals and completed my tasks. I learned a lot this summer and as I reflect on my last 8 weeks I am very happy with who I have met and worked with, and what I learned from them. I am also happy that I got to learn a little bit more about myself and how I might respond to a remote position in the future.

I was surprised about how productive I can be at home. There are so many distractions for me to get tangled up in like the pile of laundry in my closet, the dogs (we have 3!), or even the sudden urge to clean out my refrigerator but I was able to manage my needs and get my work done. Some days I was more productive than others and I definitely didn’t work a M-F, 9-5 either. I put in a full eight hours of work some days and other days I didn’t. I was lucky because although my organization operated on standard business hours, I could complete my tasks outside of the work day if I pleased.

If I could start the summer over again before the internship, I would have dedicated a space for me to complete my work. This summer I worked on the back patio, the living room couch, my bed and even in the basement. Having a desk where I can keep my computer and notes would have been ideal to keep me focused for a longer period of time. I would also have planned my vacations after the internship because although my internship was remote, it was a little difficult to stay on the computer while everybody else is relaxing!

Remind us what your project is:

This summer I am working for the Oregon Coastal Ocean Information Network (OCOIN) on outreach projects.

What have you been doing in your first few weeks on the job?

Lately we have been working a lot on the newsletter, annual meeting, and technical updates.

Describe your daily routine in the time of COVID-19 remote (or in person) work:

I usually start my day with a meeting either with OCOIN staff or a another agency. I then break for lunch then work the rest of the afternoon on my projects.

Do you work 8 hours straight?

I definitely try not to work 8 hours straight! I sometimes have to take a mid-day night just to give my eyes a break.

Do you multitask?

I like to listen to a podcast while I work. Some of my favorites are Crime Junkie, This Land, OPB (all things considered section).

Do you have “coffee” with colleagues/co-workers/other interns?

Yes! OCOIN has three interns this summer so meet every Friday morning and talk about our favorite books, our pets, our OCOIN projects and anything else that pops up. We don’t usually set an agenda which is nice because we just talk about what is happening in our lives. The Friday morning meetings help facilitate some of the interactions I would have hoped to have working with a team in the office.

How often do you check in with your supervisor?

I check in with my supervisors at least twice a week. The nice thing about the OCOIN committee is that there area several of them to ask for help or get guidance/advice from!

How often are team meetings?

We have at least one team meeting a week but as we get closer to the annual meeting we will probably have more.

How do you stay motivated (exercise breaks, phone calls with friends, walking meetings…)?

OCOIN uses a platform that organizes all the team members and their tasks which is ironically called Teamwork. This platform is very useful for staying motivated because it provides you with progress reports and details about your tasks at hand. I also take breaks and tend to my plants, I have attached one of my creations but there are many more!

What is one downside or your COVID-19 work routine?

I think the one downside to the COVID work routine is that the screen time is making me very tired when I log off for the day and I don’t stay up as late to do the personal things I want.

What is one upside of your COVID-19 work routine?

Because my project is remote I have enjoyed making my own schedule so that I can take care of things for myself and still get a days work in. I think most work a modified schedule right now which is super cool because you could email someone at 10 pm and they might get back to you right away!