This summer my time tanning by the pool and waiting tables transformed into learning how to perform eye surgeries and taking full advantage of after-work happy hour drinks.

The experience of my first internship was filled with fun, anxiety, and a lot of learning. I learned everything from how to write a standard operating procedure to how to perform eye surgery on pig eyes, and a whole lot in between. Here are the important lessons my internship taught me.

The bottom of the totem pole isn't that bad.  When I took my internship, I was scared I was going to fulfill the coffee-fetching, copy-making, pencil-pushing intern stereotype. Thankfully, I didn't frequent Starbucks. Sometimes, especially in smaller companies, people are constantly pulled in a thousand different directions, and they have a lot of responsibilities. This results in interns doing the work that falls off of other people’s plates. Just because a task isn't on the top of someone else’s to-do list doesn't mean that the work is boring or menial. Other people may have done similar things a million times, but it may be completely new to you -- so you can can a lot of different types of experience. Although some tasks aren't high on others' priority lists, they can still be on the top of yours.  

It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. People are busy. It can be scary to take the initiative and accept responsibility for choices, but it is unnecessary and burdensome for your superior to give approval on every minor decision. A supervisor will appreciate the initiative you took when trying to solve a problem, and if you chose wrong, that’s okay! Most first passes are riddled with mistakes. It is easier for someone to review and correct your mistakes than hold your hand through the process. 

Constantly improve. As an intern, you’re not expected to know everything. People understand that you will not have experience because you're an intern. However, an internship is supposed to be a learning experience, so embrace that notion fully and take every opportunity as a chance to improve yourself. Constant improvement will keep you competitive. 

It really is all about who you know. People are more inclined to give an opportunity to someone who has a connection to the company. Often, a good word put in about you can carry more weight than anything on your resume, and working for a new company gives you many other connections that could be incredibly beneficial down the road. LinkedIn is a good tool to maintain those connections, because who really wants to be Facebook friends with their boss? But that also means that your LinkedIn profile should be up to date. Co-workers will view your profile (which can be the professional equivalent of Facebook stalking) soon after you join, and many of them will ‘endorse’ your skills, which can only make your profile stronger.  

Asking questions doesn't mean you're stupid. In an internship, it is encouraged to ask questions. I have learned that if you don’t ask, everyone will assume you understand completely. Sometimes people get so wrapped up in their own work that they forget you are new and may need a little more assistance. If you’re like me, and nervous about looking stupid, just be extra cognizant about how you ask the question. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” sounds a lot worse than, “this is my thought process so far; do you have any suggestions on how this can be improved?” 

Group projects aren't as dumb as you think they are. We all know the stereotypical group project dynamic: the over-achiever is way too high strung about his GPA, the worker bees do their part and not a bit more, and the slackers always show up late and never finish their work. Well, those stereotypes carry over to the workplace. And guess what, everything is a group project. The only difference is that, if you’re lucky, the slackers get fired. So the sooner you get over your hatred of working with other people, the better off you’ll be. 

You always have to be ready for anything. Having little to no experience before starting a job, everything is going to be pretty new to you, so be ready for a lot of curve balls. On my first day on the job, I was already assisting with eye surgery. Be open and jump into everything with enthusiasm! 

Boldness is expected. It can be easy to slip into the background when you’re surrounded by people more knowledgeable or experienced than you, but just because you’re an intern doesn't mean your opinion doesn't matter.  The company hired you for a reason, and they expect you to be a part of the team. You can bring an entirely new perspective to a problem, but that will never happen if you don’t speak up. Don’t be afraid to inject your ideas, offer to help on new projects, and think outside of the box. 

Desk jobs can make you fat.  The everyday exercise you get in college is often overlooked. Walking to class every day, participating in intramural games, and the occasional gym session between classes are common occurrences. But when you work at a desk job, sometimes the most exercise you get is walking to and from the parking garage. To stay healthy, you have to make a more conscience effort to work out. That can be as intense as getting up before work to get in your run, or as simple taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Also, be wary of the office cookies, they are addicting! 

Judge everything. The best part of an internship is that it gives you a taste of what your career will be like. You can learn what aspects you find most desirable in a company: an open and laid back culture, flexible schedule, opportunity to advance, type of work, etc. When you are at a place eight hours a day, five days a week, you want to make sure you enjoy that time.  So honestly evaluate your surroundings, and the work you are doing, to figure out exactly what you want to do later in life.