Getting in trouble at work, intern style

There's something you should know about me: I used to be a goody two-shoes.

Yes, that's right: this self-proclaimed former party girl was one of those annoying kids who never got in trouble. I had never been grounded or legitimately punished for anything growing up. Even though, well, I guess you can say I finally went through my carefree stage during my freshman and sophomore years of college, I inherently am still that goody two-shoes, terrified of getting in trouble, terrified of making people mad.

But the other day someone got mad at me for the first time since I began my internship. Mad at ME! Sweet, (seemingly) innocent me!

The other day I was given an assignment by a department I do not work for while I was in the midst of other projects. I, of course, accepted the assignment. I understand that everyone is really stressed as we edge closer and closer to deadline, and am willing to help in any way. But I guess I didn’t seem excited enough to take on the assignment, because I made that person maaaaaddddddddd.

I had been really lucky until that moment. I have heard absolute horror stories of people interning at certain magazines who get treated like absolute crap. They got yelled at, cussed out and generally harassed. However, at my magazine, I had been treated with great kindness. Everyone, especially the fabulous editor I work directly under, had been very patient with me and remarkably nice.

I don’t know how to act when I see this person again. Do I apologize, even though I have no idea what I did? Or do I just act like it never happened?

This is one of those situations where I have to remind myself that I am an intern, the bottom of the food chain. I have been freakishly lucky so far in that everyone I work with has been absolutely awesome with me. Even the person who got mad had been REALLY nice to me until that day. But when I do finally make it at a national mag in New York, I won’t be as lucky. People will be mean to me, will get attitude with me, will yell at me...and I’m going to have to prepare myself for it.

It's time for this intern to toughen up.

Ed's Intern #3