I have finally finished the first batch of transcriptions! It took much longer than anticipated, and some files were more tedious to get through than others, but it is not completed and behind me.
However, the work does not end there. The interviews have been conducted for years, meaning there are, of course, more files to sift through.
The first challenge of the two new batched is finding a way to organize them. The first batch was so nicely wrapped together in well-named files and folders. I knew exactly who I was examining and knew where to find the information needed to complete the checklist that was assigned to me.
This was not the case for batch numbers two and three. Dr. Beiler, who heads the PRINT research project at the University of Central Florida, had stated in a class I had with her last semester that she has a very specific question she asks all prospective interns.
That question is: “How do you organize your closet?”
At the time, I understood why it was asked. To be an intern, it is expected that your organizational skills, whether it be time management or filing, are superb. I understood the concept of being able to compartmentalize and list your tasks in order of importance as well.
It was not until I was selected as an intern and started my duties that I fully grasped not just the importance, but the necessity of being an organized person when working as an intern.
Luckily, I am no stranger to physical organization. As a past STEM major, focusing on Marine Biology, my note-taking skills were very meticulous and precise. Not to toot my own horn, but I had it down to science (no pun intended).
I had also studied abroad in Japan, attempting to research the cultural traditions of the Ainu, as well as how the Japanese government’s stories surrounding the Ainu may differ from their own. To do this, the team I was on had a very strict set of rules and questions to follow and ask to be respectful researchers. On top of that, it was imperative that our packing skills were in tip-top shape, as we were moving around the country at an extremely fast pace.
Then, as a history major, I was able to hone that skill into writing and researching past events rather than theoretical new ones. The act of citation creation and ensuring that the sources I used were peer reviewed et cetera created a sense of organization that was not necessarily new to me, but something that took me a while to get the hang of.
I think my point is if someone is going to work for any internship, be prepared to do some housecleaning, as it makes it easier not only for you, but also for the interns that will come afterwards.
For the record, I organize my closet by color, and then by arm length subsections. However, dresses and overcoats go in a separate area that is organized in the same way.
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