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A summer to remember

Lois Joy Guinmapang

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It was humbling to meet people who lay out fresh perspectives for the benefit of everyone’s understanding; humbling to meet people who make ripples by telling stories that truly matter

RAPPLER SUMMER. The writer, third from right, shares a fun moment with other co-interns.

 

 

This is part of a series of blogs by interns who completed their summer internships with Rappler. Move features them as a record of their journey in journalism and a fitting end to their internship experience.

 

 

MANILA, Philippines – I’ve always enjoyed my summers, or so I’d like to think.

There were summers spent at my Lola’s place, summers spent at school, summers spent lazing around at home with the TV on and a pack of Cheetos.

There were summers spent learning about faith, summers spent out of town, summers spent catching up with – I don’t know – life, I guess.

There were summers I forgot about, summers that just zoomed by without me or anyone else noticing, summers that have somehow made a difference in my life when I was too young to care or understand. Still, there are summers that are worth remembering – and this summer, in all its unpredictability, definitely is.

This is one of those summers that I wish to relive, because it’s a summer well spent with Rappler.

Being part of the Rappler team for a short while made me realize a lot of things about myself – about what I can do, who I can possibly be.

I came into the office not knowing what to expect. Did horrible bosses, tons of paperwork, and impossible deadlines await?

I’ve read a thing or two online about the horrors of summer internships and hoped for the best, brushing up on my coffee-making skills in careful preparation for what lay ahead.

Good thing I didn’t need any of it.

The month I spent in Rappler was beyond awesome. To say the least, I loved my work. I called countless people and offices to schedule shoots and interviews, abused my browser by opening countless tabs for research, wrote scripts for the newscast, covered different events, and wrote about things I never before thought I’d write about. There was no coffee-making, no expected slavery – just straightforward journalism training given by the best and most tech-savvy professionals in the field.

It was humbling.

It was humbling to work with so many brilliant minds out to make a real difference in the world, initiating social change with one tweet at a time; humbling to meet such fascinating people – people with a contagious love for journalism, people who stand by the news and deliver it with clarity.

It was humbling to meet people who lay out fresh perspectives for the benefit of everyone’s understanding; humbling to meet people who make ripples by telling stories that truly matter.

It was humbling to actually see my own byline in a respected and credible news publication. I danced around my room when I saw that first article out, thanking good God and the universe for Rappler’s confidence in me – a kind of confidence I sometimes lacked in myself.

PALARO SURVIVORS. The writer, third from right, does things in the Palaro coverage she never imagined she could have done.

It was humbling to be part of the team sent to Pangasinan to cover this year’s Palarong Pambansa. I knew as much about sports as I do about physics – absolutely nothing – but Rappler has taught me to ask for help, to be flexible.

Rappler has taught me to always be on my toes – to literally chase after news regardless of the scorching heat of the sun; to be resourceful, to probe further, and to not ever be satisfied with “good enough.”

Rappler has made me want to do more – to go beyond what was expected of me. I learned to absorb knowledge and correction like a sponge and tried my hardest to meet those looming deadlines.

It was a blast.

It took about 250 hours in Rappler for me to fully understand why I aspire to be a journalist, and I’m thankful for every precious minute of it.

Thank you, Rappler.

To say this summer was great is an understatement, because much like Baby in “Dirty Dancing,” you’ve given me the time of my life. – Rappler.com

 

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