For the past seven weeks, I have been living in Austin, Texas, and working at GSD&M, an advertising agency that represents some of America’s most well-known brands. While my time here has had its share of ups and downs, I have learned something new almost every day. Here are just a few: 

1. Strangers can be really, really kind

Prior to coming to Austin, I had never experienced a remarkable amount of kindness from strangers. Aside from people holding the occasional door or being polite, I wasn’t sure it really existed. However, upon arriving to Austin without knowing a single person, I was really in need of said kindness.

Luckily, as fate would have it, some of my fellow interns are genuinely kind people. One of them, Jake, an Austin native, quickly began to organize plans for those of us from out of town to explore the city together. While this isn’t necessarily an exceptional or life-saving act, it was something he did not have to do, and I can honestly say it has made my time here much more enjoyable. This was the start of many new friendships. On top of that, Jake and another fellow intern, Emily, invited us to their Fourth of July gatherings. Again, not rocket science, but inviting us to spend the holiday in an environment of family and friends made us feel much more at home.

2. It’s important to document experiences

I’ll be honest. Before coming down here, I rarely, if ever, found taking pictures or documenting experiences to be enjoyable or important. In fact, the idea of stopping in my tracks to snap a picture of a monument or skyline made me cringe because there’s nothing more embarrassing than looking like a tourist.

However, upon arriving to Austin for the summer, I made a pact with myself to try and document my time because this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Strangely, I have stuck to this and have been uploading anything interesting I see to Instagram. While I occasionally look like a nerdy tourist, the long-term benefit of looking back at these pictures is invaluable.

3. Having pride in your state is awesome

For my whole life, I have had pride in my schools, favorite sports teams and, of course, the city of Chicago. However, one thing I have never been particularly proud of is being from the state of Illinois. While it’s not something I am embarrassed of, it’s just not something I want to shout from the rooftops.

One of the first things I noticed upon crossing the Arkansas border into Texas was the overt love Texans have for their state. Whether it’s through displaying bumper stickers, waving giant state flags or using phrases like “I speak Texan,” these people just love their state. While many aspects of the state have been a culture shock to the system I’m accustomed to, I have started to fall in love with some aspects of it just because of how proud people are when they talk about it. This is definitely a change of pace from living in “the state of corrupt politicians.”

4. Time is precious, so use it wisely

Nothing makes me want to use my time wisely quite like having a time limit. So, naturally, knowing I have exactly 10 weeks to soak in Austin and all its glory has definitely inspired me make a conscious effort to do or see something new every day.

One example of this came when I could not sleep one night. At about 4 a.m. I realized I was not going to fall asleep anytime soon, so I hopped on my computer and Googled “best sunrise view in Austin.” The result was a place called Mount Bonnell and I decided to shower, go watch the sun rise and then grab some of Austin’s finest breakfast tacos. It was the perfect way to use a few hours that would have been spent staring at my clock and is definitely one of the highlights of my time here.

5. Working hard pays off

This one is really simple, but important nonetheless. For three years, I have been working toward the goal of working in strategy at an advertising agency on some of America’s most appreciated brands. After years of long nights, hard work and the resolve to never give up, I have had the privilege of spending this summer at GSD&M working on the Walgreens account. This has not only shown me that hard work pays off, but also inspired me to dream bigger and work even harder moving forward.

John is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JohnBuysse.