First day as an Intern

January 13, 2009

Yesterday was my first day as a Tennessee Legislative Intern. The day was mostly filled with orientation sessions going over security and various other formalities of procedure. It was a nice day, and I got to meet quite a few of the other interns. I didn't find out who I will actually be working for.

Lessons from the first day:
1. Always wear your name badge
2. Don’t play with the bomb-sniffing dog unless you ask first-then it’s ok
3. If you bring your computer to the capitol, it will likely be stolen by one of the
homeless people that wander in off the street
4. If you leave anything in your car, the front windshield will get broken and your stuff will
get stolen
5. If you have a hand-gun carry permit that’s cool (great even) just leave the gun in your
trunk
6. Don’t forget to take the bullets out of your purse when you put the gun in your trunk (it’s
easy to forget the ammo sometimes-so just a reminder)
7. If a reporter asks you a question and you give a stupid answer that answer will appear on
the front page-above the fold- of The Tennessean the next morning
8. Don’t go to legislative parties unless you are officially invited
9. Don’t drink too much if you are invited
10. If you dance on tables at a bar after work, everyone in your office will know the next
morning before you get there
11. Girls-“Be mindful that if you wear a low-cut shirt and you lean over…”
12. There are LOTS of good looking legislators- "you will get hit on"
13. Just because you are in college, working toward a degree, doesn’t mean that you don’t have
to make copies-or coffee
14. Don’t fall asleep in a committee meeting-especially if it is streaming live on the internet

After I got home Chelsea (my roommate) and I decided to go to the grocery store. As we were coming home, I got lost…really lost and we ended up in a park. No one else was in the park except a police man. He pulled me over because I was speeding as I was trying to leave the dark, abandoned area (33 in a 20). I explained that I was just lost, new in town. He took my license, insurance, and registration but…he didn’t give me a ticket!!! He helped me find my way back!