I consider myself a very driven person, but I never pictured myself walking into an office building every single morning with a smile on my face (largely because I am not a morning person), yet here I am 5 years later, working my dream job at the age of 22. How on earth did I get so lucky?

I interned at Total Quality Logistics (TQL) for 4 summers in a row, beginning my freshman year of college. What started as an attempt to confirm with myself that I was pursuing the right major, soon turned into something I was deeply passionate about. I looked forward to spending my summer breaks soaking in all the knowledge I could get at HQ in hopes of gaining experience and maybe even receiving a full-time job offer post-graduation.

As any other student with zero prior work experience would feel, I had no idea what to expect on my first day; I had to dig through my mom’s closet to find a business professional outfit and I barely knew how to send an email on Outlook. We all have to start somewhere, right? TQL immediately took me under their wing. I was networking with successful TQL’ers and learning something new every day, not only about the job I was currently doing but about other avenues within my field as well. I began breaking out of my shell and building confidence in myself and the work I was doing, something I had been trying to accomplish for years.

Flashforward to my Junior, going into Senior year, I knew graduation was quickly approaching and I had one thing on my mind: getting that post-graduation job offer at TQL. I was working under a different manager for the first time since I started interning each summer and, of course, the nerves were kicking in as I approached my desk on my first day back in the office after the Spring semester. I will never forget what my new supervisor said to me on day 1, “I’m not going to be treating you like an intern. I will be treating you like a co-worker because I trust you to take on some big projects this summer.” From that day on, I felt a new level of confidence and drive because I knew my management trusted me to come in every single day, ready to work hard and learn. My TQL internship taught me lessons that you can’t learn in a classroom, and I can say with full honesty that I would not be where I am today without stepping out of my comfort zone years ago when I decided to intern at TQL. I found a company that I don’t want to leave, confidence in the quality of my work and a career passion that I never knew existed.

Are you still wondering ‘How on earth I got so lucky?’ I’ve learned that the answer to this question is simple; opportunities and career success are not a matter of luck. It comes down to the time and effort YOU are willing to put in to accomplish your goals, short-term and long-term. You have the opportunity to set yourself up for success but it’s a CHOICE that must be made every single day and long before you walk across that stage to receive your diploma. At the end of the day, a strong work ethic beats talent and will get you anywhere you want to go in life.

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