When I wrote to you all last week, I had just sent out a plethora of networking emails to a variety of Scripps alumni, who are currently living all around the globe. I chose my connections based on people who had the same majors as me – English and Organizational Studies – or who worked jobs that just sounded really interesting. I didn’t actually expect a response from any of them – I made it clear in my emails that I was just a wee first – year, trying to get some information and advice on what these alumnus maybe had done during their years at Scripps to bring them to the level of success they’re at today. However, I’m happy to say I got a response from three out of the five women I emailed!

While I tried to set up calls with two of the women who contacted me, one of them never got back to me with her schedule, and the other one never added me on Skype when we were set to meet (I’m trying to reschedule with her). The last woman who I talked to was the Scripps alumnus who had interviewed me, and basically gotten me into Scripps. She works currently in the fashion industry, and I was mostly talking to her because I remembered from our interview that we had a lot in common. Coming to Scripps, she didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life, except to write and be in New York City after she graduated. I feel exactly the same way. I was able to call her last week to chat, and to see what advice she had for me. What happened next blew my mind.

Upon getting on the phone, she expressed incredible enthusiasm talking to me, saying that she had even wanted to contact me to see how I was doing at Scripps. When I told her that I absolutely loved it, she was thrilled- she’s genuinely one of the sweetest people I’ve ever had the opportunity to meet. We chatted for a while about Scripps, my classes, my friends, etc. before getting down to the nitty-gritty: her experience as a freelance event planner and art buyer. She immediately said that she had friends in the city, fashion photographers, that she would contact about internships for me, as well as an organization that she worked with, which helped tutor underprivileged kids in the NYC public school system.

I was amazed that anyone would offer me such opportunities, so quickly. I actually started to cry, and my reaction wasn’t unlike those girls pictured above. I must’ve looked like a madman to anyone who saw me on the phone.

Later, I was informed that all the internship opportunities with the fashion photographer had been booked for the summer, but I was welcome to apply to a position at the organization she worked with. I found a paid position online as a Teacher’s Assistant for their summer camp, and I’m submitting a cover letter and resume by the end of this week. I would absolutely love to work for them, and I actually have a lot of experience tutoring and working in a classroom environment. I’m going to still apply to other internship opportunities, but at this point, I’m feeling incredibly optimistic and relieved. I can say that all the awkwardness that I went through in networking was incredibly worth it-though I still think that the most genuine human connections lead to the best opportunities.