Block time for no distraction. Use your time wisely – distance yourself from distractions. So, block time for no distraction. You are interning, aren’t you? Therefore, you should not be finishing your assignments, or other school work at the agency. Five-eight hours of you being there is worthwhile, so spend it wisely. Find something to do. Ask for more work. Read reports. Explore what the agency has done. Socialize with your fellow interns. All these are what you should be doing. You must remember that you are interning. You are testing your potentials. If you neglect the work, it can be hard to know what can be a better fit for you.
Communicate clearly on the first day (or week) of your internship. Be sure to let your supervisor know what you expect realistically from him or her. Let the agency know your schedule because you never want to be absent without a prior notice. For some cases, the agency would discuss the schedule matter with you prior to accepting you into the position. Always be punctual. Follow the agency guideline if you know right away that you will not be in on time or will not be able to make it in at all for the day, let your supervisor know.
Ask for help if needed. Never try to perform a task blindly. Asking for an assistance is actually a strength, not a weakness. No one will evaluation your performance based on what you have done wrong; your performance is determined by your capacity to do the jobs, and the support you get along the way. It will cost you less headache doing things correctly on the first time.
Listen attentively. Your listening skill is very important when it comes to anything that involves communication. Being able to listen and understand the situations is pivotal and it makes communication easier and more convenient for those engaging. Especially in your internship, you are going to get a lot of instructions on how to perform your assignments. The supervisor wants the supervisee (you) to pay attention to what they instruct you (and that is what you are learning, too). You never want to finish the conversation not knowing what to do with the assigned tasks, nor do you want to ask for the same instruction. That being said, please refer to the previous point in case you are not really sure about what you are doing.
Obey the rules. I suggest all interns consider their internships as a professional, paid employment. Never think that you are just an intern and neglect all the rules and regulations staff have to follow. The whole idea of internships is to train you prior to your real work, so make it real. That is like a real-life paid job simulation kind of thing.
Mind your social media. Never add your supervisors on Facebook; try LinkedIn. Make it professional. Social media and professional connection deserve a separate article of their own. Stay tuned.