It’s generally expected that interns must come into the office, but many internships also require hours outside the office. Interns are on the bottom of the totem pole and are usually assigned menial tasks like coffee runs, errands, etc. that full time employees consider wasted time. My internship at Metro Pulse is no exception.

Data checking is one of the biggest tasks passed off to interns at Metro Pulse. If someone needs to know the addresses, hours, and numbers of all the bike shops are in Knoxville, the interns do the research (I spent three days finding, checking, and recording that data). B, R, and I once had to walk all around downtown snapping photos of specific locations (that was actually a fun project-we got ice cream on the way back!). Sometimes one of us has to drive to say the library or the historic center to verify facts for a story.

Another outside job passed on to interns at Metro Pulse is the Sundown in the City booth. Sundown in the City is an event held during the summer months, at which the city of Knoxville offers live, free music in the centrally located Market Square.

Every Thursday during the summer, from approximately 5pm-9pm, either B, R, or I have to be present in the booth to represent Metro Pulse. For those four hours, we are charged with passing out our newspaper, answering any questions, and basically acting as PR for Metro Pulse. It’s a long, tedious post, but the one advantage it offers is aiding us in perfecting people skills, which are important in every area of the job market.

Interns at Metro Pulse are in charge of the calendar section of the newspaper. This section is basically composed of events happening in and around the Knoxville area. Events such as concerts, local bands, theater productions, festivals, free classes or workshops, etc. are stored in an online database which is later converted into a print format for each week’s paper.

Our job is to sift through the hundreds of weekly emails to determine which ones fit the calendar guidelines and which do not. These get separated into two different folders (we never throw anything away at Metro Pulse, a practice I learned fast by accidentally deleting an important email). From there, the interns have to enter each individual event into Evanston, Metro Pulse’s online program. We have to know the name, venue, lowest age of venue, cost, any website/contact info, date, time, and locate a picture if possible. All of this data entry is extremely tedious, and takes up a good deal of our time in the office.

If a submitted event does not have all the information we need, it’s the interns job to track down that information, whether online or by phone. People often leave out the times of events, age limits for clubs, or even where the event will occur.

Later in the week, closer to publication date, we have to go back into the database and format the calendar entries for print. This is an even longer, more involved process, as we have to convert all the text and codes into a format that the printer recognizes. Not a fun job.

Even though such tasks are far from stimulating, they are great experiences for those of us who are pursuing future careers in the field of journalism. Learning the inner workings of Evanston, a commonly used program, along with knowing how to style and format the calendar for print will be great additions to any resume. Even if one were to decide against journalism, having an expertise in such areas can carry into other jobs, such as software developing. Having an internship in an area that you do not intend to pursue is by no means a waste of time. Every experience ads to a resume, and can show a very balanced profile to a potential employer.

In the long run, doing menial work can prove fruitful. The big issue is getting through such banal assignments in the present. Though I do encounter an off-day every now and then where I dread the prospect of sitting at a desk all day doing nothing clacking away at a keyboard, I have had the great fortune to find enjoyment in most of the chores handed to me.

One key element is having a positive attitude. Don’t dwell on how dreary, lengthy, or laborious a project is. Think happy thoughts, and focus on the more enjoyable aspects of such occupations. When I’m hold up at the computer working on the calendar or gathering facts, I usually keep a tab open to my playlist on Project Playlist. Music always cheers me up, and makes the time fly.

When assignments take me out of the office, I delight in the fresh air, sun (if there is any), and people watching. Don’t walk mindlessly down the street, thinking only of your destination or of getting back to the office. Think of any outing as a mini vacation from work. It will give you a chance to refuel your mind, while exercising your (probably cramped) body. When you do eventually get back to the office, chances are your focus will be restored as well as your energy.

Interns will always be expected to complete wearisome duties, but the things to keep in mind are that all experiences can lead to future employment, and that it is important to uphold a positive attitude and search out ways to find enjoyment in every task, no matter how irksome. Keep these things in mind when embarking on a potentially strenuous internship.