Nothing is impossible.
The constant repetition of this phrase has made its significance meaningless and dull. People always hear it but never truly believe it. I was guilty of being one of those people, my parents always throwing it at my face like some kind of wet towel. It has become an overused and useless phrase. This summer, its meaning changed when I obtained my first internship at the CNN Headquarters.
I have always been a dreamer, thinking that if you really dream it you will end up living it. I could not have been more wrong. This past year has been a rude awakening for me. I have come to the realization that dreaming deeply about something will get you nowhere; the only way to actually get anything is by acting on those dreams.
This past summer I did just that. Action was the only answer; I could not just sit there dreaming and hoping for something. I had to go, work hard and get it.
On April 11, I talked to Thomas Gray, the internship coordinator for Communication majors at KSU, and asked him if he could help me get an internship. All I wanted was experience. Surprisingly, he told me “a student must have at least 60 hours toward graduation” in order to get academic credit.
The problem was that most internships I looked at required academic credit.
I had just finished my freshman year. Taking 15 hours each semester made me end the year with just 30 hours total. I needed 30 more.
I decided to take the matter into my own hands, spending nights and days filling out internship applications and constructing my resume, as well as writing lengthy e-mails and making phone calls.
On June 3, 2013, I got a break, I finally got the call. I got the internship of my dreams, working at the CNN Headquarters in Atlanta, Ga.
I will never forget walking into CNN on June 17 for my first day. The atmosphere, the people and the smiles all seemed so surreal. Everyone was helpful and happy.
I met many anchors there as well. One of my favorite was Carlos Montero, who is the anchor for the morning show “Café CNN” on CNN en Español.
I had the opportunity of being in a behind-the-scenes atmosphere. The producers, the directors and the staff all knew their job very well and had fun doing it.
As the final days of my internship approached, I asked Cristina Ruiz, director of the marketing department for CNN en Español, “What was it like to have me as an intern?”
“It’s been great, Fernanda,” she responded. “ It’s been a new experience for us, and I hope you learned many things from this experience.”
One day I hope to make it into the broadcasting or journalism world. This might have felt impossible a couple months ago but now it is becoming a reality. Next summer, I hope to intern in New York City for “Anderson Cooper 360.” I am willing to work hard to achieve this.
My new quote is, “Don’t tell people your dreams. Show them.”
