One seventeen issue at a time

I feel like I need a name change, something like ‘SuperNandi’ or ‘SuperSista’. As I stood under a huge tree, trying to catch my breath after running from one end of the world to the other; pushing everyone out of the way; through the hooting and swearing of cab drivers’; a runny nose; and an irritating dry cough I had made it to my first day as an intern at seventeen magazine.

My first stop, as always, was the bathroom. To my horror, the somewhat stylish ‘phoof’ thing I did with my hair was destroyed. The pieces that I had framed perfectly around my face were anything but stylish, but fortunately – as always – the scarf in my handbag came to my rescue. After applying my trusted Vaseline on my lips, I was ready for what everyone had told me, would be one of the best internship experience of my life.

I don’t really consider myself a shy person, but everyone – even the other interns Yumna and Judi – looked like they belonged here. They looked like they had been working here forever, so a slight sense of insecurity followed me around for most of the morning. After the brief meeting where we introduced ourselves, I found out that I would be working with Khwezi , the editor – what? Can someone shoot me? Like now! Khwezi is the kind of person my friends and I stalk – LOL. For real though, journalism students stalk ex-journalism students, it’s what we do, so don’t judge me. Anyway, after a long chat in her office about what I would be doing, I concluded that she is, in fact, human so I carried on with the rest of the day.

I absolutely loved the fact that there were a whole lot of other interns here with me, and that we all sit close to each other. We share a herd mentality – following each other to the canteen, asking lots of questions and smiling (more than what is necessary), but hey, we’re interns so we’re at the bottom of the food chain and smiling goes a long way.

I also love the fact that I get to work with a big bunch of girls, not in a creepy way, but in a ‘me and my sistas’ kinda way. Everyone knows what they’re doing, and they look fabulous while doing their jobs. It’s like a kind of a sorority in a way, but a really, really cool one, where no one goes home with gum in their hair

As I pack my bags, and switch off my computer, not only do I feel like a young journalist getting ready to earn another stripe, but I also feel like a young girl being accepted into a family of girls, who run the world, one seventeen issue at a time.

xoxo
Nandipha Pantsi