My internship with Rowe Law Group was… something, to say the least. It was ultimately a beneficial experience, one that I don’t think any other institution could have provided me. From the work I did surrounding the internship, such as my low level, errand running, to actively assisting in meetings with prominent politicians, no two days were ever too similar. I made so many connections and friends while learning the ins and outs of the Lobbyist trade, it was completely unexpected. I thought of internships as a way to keep students busy and avoid sitting idly, but that was not true of my experience at all. I was treated like a member of a team, not just a student or child. It was rewarding when I was acknowledged for my work, and devastating when I was scolded or reprimanded for my errors. I was quickly filled in on what I didn’t know, what I would need to learn, and most importantly, what I would need to stop. I had to stop waiting and procrastinating, I had to stop submitting things without a single edit, I had to let go of this idea that student worker, intern, younger, meant less capable- they weren’t going to treat me as such. My supervisors were not only the Rowe Law Group, but also the Las Vegas Chamber as well as Black and Wadhams Law Firm. They shared an office and our work overlapped often, leading us to collaborate with their employees and interns. The most valuable thing I learned was competing personalities. It may sound a bit bleak, or pessimistic, but it’s a skill all confrontational, opinionated, political, and emotional people need. I am all of those things, and while it’s great for the budding lawyers, caregivers, scholars, etc. It’s not the best combination for the office in all honesty. Bias exists everywhere, but even more so in settings where they can hinder your growth or propel you, such as an office. I was often confronted and interrogated on my opinions about the politics happening across the street, knowing they could pick apart my shallow, uninformed opinions. I couldn’t preemptively identify and research all things that they may quiz me on, that would have been too much and too stressful. Instead, I learned to listen. Initially, I felt like a conniving, brown noser, hoping to get “good intern points,” a mode of validation, if I agreed with them, but that wasn’t the case. I was just maturing, realizing that I didn’t know every single thing about the universe, and that there was still a lot of room for me to grow. The most valuable thing I learned was to talk once, listen twice, think three times, you never know how you’re misinterpreting something. A liberal arts degree is a must in this field. I initially thought that not majoring in Political Science might hinder my ability to perform the necessary tasks, but it hasn’t. All liberal arts degrees offered by UNLV have similar requirements for our core academic courses. What I gathered from studying English, Literature, and Psychology, prepared me for what was expected of me in this arena. I could understand the material, I could access the documents, I could think critically and became even more flexible regarding my duties. My major is Anthropology and while it doesn’t seem initially connected, it is. The critical thinking you learn from any liberal arts degree is useful, especially within the realm of wordy, confusing administrative law and public policy. I also sat back and observed the culture and rules that we created as Americans and Nevadans to govern yourself. I saw a reflection of ourselves in the animal kingdom, where law seemed to reign supreme, but it was actually hierarchy that determined everything. There was a pre-established pecking order with interns on the bottom, but the top of the hierarchy, the patriarch, was always so altruistic, exemplifying why he was the leader. Our primary supervisor, the lawyer of which the company was named, was always so understanding, never wanting to push us past our limits. Additionally, when I did feel overworked, overwrought and overcome with stress, I always knew I could take a step back. Anthropology was not a common major, almost everyone else was a polisci major on track for matriculating into law school, I knew i would stand out in the world of politics. However, they’re not so different. I saw the broader, overarching themes and goals that these bills hoped to accomplish, they saw the minute details, what the small changes in language reflected and meant for all Nevadans. They’re both so necessary. I don’t know if it’s a field I would consider going into once I graduate, but I know I would like to work in an environment like that again. I actually ran into people who I knew I would want to mingle with once again, such as the Director of the nonprofit, housing initiative, NevadaHand, and much of the UNLV government staff. The work that we did was necessary, and I even ran into former employers, such as the director of Foster Kinship, a nonprofit I was employed with in High School. I realized that the world was so much smaller than I thought when I looked over and saw familiar faces from a decade ago. I realized it was so much bigger than I thought when I looked over and saw flowers, animals, and lakes I didn’t know existed. I felt like I could go anywhere in the world, but my life would still follow me. Outside of the work, and there was a lot of it, I experienced so much more than exists in Vegas. The mountains, the animals, the snow, the scenery, the people, the historical districts, all of it! An image burned into my mind is that of the mountains on my drive to work. They were beautiful, often covered in snow, and littered with hoards of animals. The horses, deer, cattle, rabbits, and birds were a sight I grew accustomed to, I am going to miss them on my way back to Las Vegas. The video is of part of our 35 minute commute to Carson City. My sister was my partner for this internship and I'm glad it was her. I don't think two people could've been happier than we were! My advice to incoming interns is to just apply for internships. I applied for this one on a whim, I didn’t think there was a chance I would get it and yet I did. I’ve been changed by the experience, and I couldn’t have asked for a better last semester of my undergraduate career. I finally feel like I can move on, all of the insecurities I gained regarding my skills due to pandemic learning have been wiped clean. I feel like an adult! Woohoo!