During my second week of my internship at Arden, I worked on various projects that carried over from week one. Mostly, I finished a presentation that analyzed various direct and indirect competitors’ digital foundation finder tools. I was able to offer recommendations for best practice for our company in implementing this new digital feature. One project I will continuously work on is a foundation analysis on two relevant competitors for an upcoming new product launch. A fun experience this week was using my employee discount in the office’s weekly opening of their corporate shop. My flatmates have since asked me to buy things for them at the store. They have various work benefits as well, as one of my friends was able to get us free pizzas one night because she does finance for Pizza Pilgrims.
This being the halfway point, I met with my supervisor to review my progress and to and learn about new assignments for the remaining weeks. In speaking with my program friends about their internship experience, I had the realization that my work culture was mostly different than theirs. Many of them say that the culture is much more relaxed and informal in the UK. Truly, I am having a more American experience as EA is a company that headquarters in and originates from New York. Though there is time for laughs and casual chatter, the office’s focus is on the task at hand. Within my marketing team I also am having a different experience, as I work with entirely 20-something year old women. Overall, I enjoy the fast pace and the relatable coworkers’ company.
After work on Thursday, I met up with a sorority sister who began an internship in London for the summer as well. It was great to catch up and share our experiences thus far. We met in Shoreditch, an artistic grunge area of London. My roommate came as well. We have enjoyed finding excuses to explore the 30 boroughs of London!
That weekend, I went on a highly-anticipated trip to Ireland. Our first stop was Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. It was strange going through passport control and being asked when I would be returning to the UK, as the Republic of Ireland is not part of this territory. In Dublin, I indulged in a full Irish breakfast (complete with french fries), shepard’s pie, and Guinness stew. We also bought tickets to the Guinness storehouse, where we tasted freshly made beer and were shown how to pour the perfect pint. The experience was part museum, part bar all structured in a giant pint of Guinness! The next day we took a coach tour through Galway and to the gorgeous Cliffs of Moher. Galway is a small and quaint Irish city on the water. I tried a delicious fresh oyster in the local farmer’s market and shopped for souvenirs. At the Cliffs, we got lucky with sunny weather and enjoyed the most beautiful natural site I’ve ever seen.
We concluded the trip with a train ride to Belfast where we took a historical Black Cab Tour, walked along the peace walls, and visited the Titanic Museum. It was interesting to discuss the historical conflicts between Northern Ireland and the ROI as well as the current impact of a potential hard Brexit with our tour guide. We returned home with full stomachs and tired eyes. A short night’s sleep led us into Week 7.
Grace Guertin ’19
Student, UConn School of Business
Grace Guertin is a rising senior majoring in Management and minoring in Digital Marketing and Analytics. She is currently enrolled in the UConn Business in London, England Summer Classes/Internship hybrid program until mid-August. Grace is taking classes in Business Law and Human Rights as well as completing an academic internship for Elizabeth Arden’s fragrance marketing department while there. She is excited to meet new people, live in a big city, work for a beauty company, and travel around Europe. A fun fact about Grace is that her first time out of the country is for this trip! On campus, she is involved in her sorority Gamma Phi Beta as the Community Service Chairwoman and is active in the Honors Program. View Posts