Day in the life of our Marketing Intern, Katy
Hey I’m Katy and I’m currently doing a short internship with CODE Beautiful over my Easter break. I’ve been busy contacting bloggers, doing research for a new product development, writing blog posts and looking into a social media plan for the following months.
When my Easter break is over I’ll be back off to university to finish my final term of second year (that means only one more term until my final year and dissertation time! But I don’t need to quite start panicking yet) I’m studying Fashion Marketing and Branding at Nottingham Trent University, the best part about my course is that there’s no exams, however, this does not make it any easier in the slightest. We constantly have coursework on the go and rarely get a break. We have to conduct so much research for our reports and presentations. But because I am constantly doing work for it I am always switched on and feel like this is a much practical way of learning - I’m not remembering pointless facts just to sit an exam at the end of the year, I’m constantly learning and developing my knowledge on the go.
I chose this course because I was inspired by Ugly Betty, I remember my parents watched it when it was pleased in 2006 (I was only 10!) and I was allowed to watch it with them. I’ve been following it ever since and I’m still sad that it ended. After re-watching all the box sets countless times Wilhelmina Slater became my idol and I would do anything to be her. So the hunt for a uni course that would allow me to become my idol began in late 2014 at the start of my final year of College (which was really not that fun and made me realise I only liked one subject I was studying). I found the Fashion Marketing course and started to read into it and really liked the sound of it - it built on things I already had learnt but meant I could actually go on to further my studies in something that actually interested me. I went to a few open days but only found two uni’s that I actually liked the look of - Manchester and Nottingham Trent. After a lot of thinking I decided that Manchester would be the one from me - it was my home town so I’d still be near all of my friends that I’d known since I was 11 and I could still go home and have my mum do my cooking and washing for me. However, things didn’t quite go to plan. I struggled in my exams and it was clear to see which subject I liked and which ones I really didn’t. So, I was off to Nottingham and it’s honestly one of the best mess ups I’ve ever made! I’ve since become an independent women who has no intention to ever move back in with her parents ever again and I have become a goddess in all things that involve cooking and cleaning. I’ve made friends for life at uni and coming home to see friends and family feels even more special. It’s so good to be able to get out of your home town to grow as an individual and I’m definitely on my way to becoming Wilhelmina!
My Day to Day Routine
I’m in uni 3 days a week, but these are 3 hour scale up sessions at a time (scale up is a mixture of lecture and seminars all rolled in to one) which are normally at 9am - just what every student wants!
So I roll into my 9am, usually 5 minutes late because I can’t just walk past Starbucks and not get a coffee, I need a coffee to wake me up, and normally another one half way through the session just to see me through. (Even now as I’m writing I’m sat in Costa with a large cappuccino, I just can’t function without coffee, I believe it’s the most important meal of the day)
A lot of my course is individual study so this is what we’re supposed to be doing for the rest of the day. I spend a lot of my time in the library and we often have a lot of group work so group meetings begin to take over. Getting closer to deadlines the library becomes home and days and nights blur into one; I’ve once done a library shift of 6pm-6am, then been back in the library the following evening for another shift. I’ve also found that sometimes taking the kettle from home is the trick to getting you through.
When I’m not in uni or the library I work part time in a restaurant in town to keep the pennies coming in, so that I can treat myself once in a while (or once too often). I also attempt to go to the gym, but not as often as I should! I go to a 24 hour gym so that I don’t have to be seen when I do make a rare appearance. But summer is fast approaching and that bikini body isn’t going to appear on its own, my term 3 resolution (It’s a bit too late for a New Years one) is to go to the gym more often and I really am going to try my best to stick to this one.
As well as studies it’s still important to have a social life and to have fun whilst you still can. I like to go out as much as the next student and go to regular socials with the Fashion Society - which I’ve met some of the best people through. I love to go to little bars and drink cocktails with friends, pretending we’re not trying to live on our student budgets.
Keeping a balance of study, social and sleep is key to uni and although it is a struggle at times it’s important not to let studying take over your whole life. It is essential to study hard to get the best out of your studies but you need to stay sane! Surround yourself with a great group of friends and this is made easier and will ensure you use your time at uni to the maximum. I hope you’ve had fun reading about my studies and if you’re thinking about furthering your own studies I’d recommend the whole university experience to anyone (hopefully the amount of debt I’ve already accumulated is worth it)
Katy x