Internship at The Alternative – Anwesha from Jadavpur University

In this big and competitive world we often lose ourselves, we don’t introspect ourselves rather just go with the flow. Here is the time to stop, rewind, think and then act. Give voice to your thoughts and be heard. Anwesha is not governed by clichéd rules of society, she weaves her own nest of exemption and contentment. 

Bidding a tearful farewell to a school with which you have been associated for over a decade and stepping to the ‘big world’ outside can take its toll on you. Coupled with that, the awful pressure of starting things from the scratch again – be it college, making new friends or just finding your own comfort zone. Amidst this strange cacophony lies the terrible, hitherto unfamiliar pressure of ‘making something out of you’. “The competition is huge,” they said, “Every moment, every turn; every step can make or break your career. What are you going to do about it?” Such Kafka-esque existentialism was enough to make my 18 year old self nauseated, almost panting for air. The youth is restless; it is vivacious, teeming with germs of ideas that hold the promise of changing the course of history. The youth is also mistrusted/distrusted and little respected. In a wild mesh of private institutions, foreign institutions, IITs and IIMs, I felt everything to be a fruitless endeavour. However, another great thing about the youth is that it is supremely resilient. It was this quality that made me land up in one of the internet portals, Internshala, and upload my CV. To be fair, I had my doubts. My previous experience was a terrible one from one of the other portals. Most didn’t respond and the one that did expected me to write sexist humour. So when I got an email from The Alternative, I hardly felt excited. It was soon dispelled when the editors, Aarti and Adil, got on a call with me and walked me through my exact duties and responsibilities. I was sent a contract, designating me as an Editorial Intern.

Looking back now, I would say serendipity and The Alternative went hand in hand for me. I was initially terrified in the apprehension of what work would be given to me and I knew for a fact that if I was given an assignment to hunt internet for some random five facts on how to get over your ex, I would quit. However, my first assignment came in the form of an in-depth feature on Greenpeace and its freezing of accounts. I went on to do features on increasing marine life deaths in Maharashtra, India’s first mixed frisbee team, India’s first carbon neutral film and so on. At The Alternative, I learnt that journalistic writing does not need to be tired, hackneyed pieces put together from various net sources but can truly provide voice to meaningful issues that perhaps are waiting to be highlighted. Digital journalism is fast growing in India and still boasts of freedom from red tapism and political influence. If then we can utilise this medium to bring issues like the Kodaikanal mercury case to the fore, digital journalism really has the power to bring about substantial change. Of course it gets tedious at times, balancing college, sourcing for stories and so on. But the joy of reading about great initiatives, massive protests and acting as a medium to make it heard is an unparalleled feeling. It’s a hectic job, completely dependent on deadlines-if you miss it, no matter how good it is or how much thought you put to it, it won’t be published. But that is how dynamic the world of journalism is and The Alternative through it’s sheer professionalism enabled me to taste.

Then there’s the more humane part to it. When I had exams, when I went on a trip or when my grandparents were sick and I could not deliver work on time, my editor kindly let me off. It’s something rare in the harsh corporate world to find a team that not only mentors, enables, facilitates but also supports. As it so happens, my editor himself texted me three days back and offered to renew my contract. My next assignment is on handloom as tomorrow is the Handloom Day.

So with the burning desire to learn, encouragement from my team and carpe diem on my mind I continue to weave stories and perhaps do my own little bit in trying to change the world and making all those unknown voice heard.

If Anwesha’s internship experience motivates you, you can view the latest Virtual internships and content writing internships.

Editor’s note– Have you got an internship story to share? A chance to win cool Internshala T and other cash prizes by sharing your internship story here.