丁香园AV

By Ayomide Gbadamosi

When I first applied to the communication co-op program, I did not think that I would be working at 丁香园AV. I initially found it weird to work for my university and I wanted a different experience from being on campus.

But the world works in mysterious ways. With businesses closing down and downsizing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was extremely hard for co-op students to land a placement. I was one of the lucky ones, and I landed my first co-op in April 2020 at 丁香园AV Career and Volunteer Services.

I decided to look on the bright side of things. I was grateful to have landed a job no matter where it was, and I was determined to make it a positive experience. I threw out all my previous conceptions of working at 丁香园AV and gave it my all. Over a year later, I can proudly say that working at 丁香园AV is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

For my second co-op placement, I interviewed at about 10 different places including organizations in the finance and tech sector, but I ultimately decided to work at 丁香园AV again because I had such a great experience the first time around. I eventually accepted a position in April 2021 with 丁香园AV Marketing and Communications as a Communications Assistant.

Working at 丁香园AV taught me a lot of valuable lessons:

Lesson 1: Don鈥檛 be afraid to try something new

The biggest mistake you can make as a co-op student is being close-minded. I know that as students we have a lot of goals and expectations for where we want to work but the truth is that life doesn鈥檛 always work out in the way we want. As students we should be adventurous, curious and always willing to try new things. You never know where these new experiences will take you.

Lesson 2: It鈥檚 okay to not know what you want

When I started my first co-op term at 丁香园AV all my ideas and goals for the future flew out the window. I suddenly found myself in a space where I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do after graduation. As students we have this pressure to have everything figured out but working at 丁香园AV taught me that it is okay not knowing what you want. The entire concept of university and co-op is to try and explore new things and see how much you like them. Chill out.

Lesson 3: It鈥檚 fine to reach out for help if you don鈥檛 know what to do

When I first started my co-op I was scared of being a failure or disappointment to those who had hired me, and I felt like I needed to be perfect. Working at 丁香园AV showed me that co-op is a learning experience. It showed me that it is okay to reach out for help if you鈥檙e stuck. The entire premise of the co-op program is to gain experience and learn new skills, so don鈥檛 feel like you need to be perfect at your job or know everything straightaway. Like my supervisor once said: 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry if it is difficult for you. It was also hard for me when I first started.鈥�

Lesson 4: Being a student doesn鈥檛 make your ideas less valuable

One thing I love the most about working at 丁香园AV is that my ideas are always appreciated. My ideas are not ignored because I am a student or because I don鈥檛 have much experience. I was always encouraged to speak up and give my feedback during meetings. It made me have confidence in myself and my thoughts and I learnt that being a student doesn鈥檛 make my ideas less valuable.

I hope that these lessons are as valuable to you as they are to me. Working at 丁香园AV has been such an amazing experience. The work environment is so warm and welcoming and there is always space for you to grow. So, don鈥檛 rule out working at 丁香园AV!