Meredith Corporation's headquarters are located on the corner of Lexington and Park Avenue. Situated right next to Grand Central Terminal, this billion-dollar business is quite literally in the heart of Manhattan.
Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies Home Journal, Family Circle, and of course Parents magazine all resided in the looming structure before me. I stopped and stared at the offices piled high on top of one another, taking in the final moment before the experience began.
Sometimes that’s the best moment.
As I approached the revolving glass doors, my speed increased to a near jog. Unlike my first day at Martha Stewart Living, I wasn’t 30 minutes early but in fact almost 5 minutes late. This is untypical Britney behavior, but I just had to get that cup of coffee in Astoria… and who knew “train traffic” could be so bad during peak hours?
That’s right – I’m officially apart of the “rat race” in the city with the most rats. Every morning I run to my coffee shop with most of my makeup done, then hop onto a crowed subway train and search (in vain) for a seat. Exiting at Grand Central is, well…grand, and running my swipe card through a turnstile to enter 375 Lex can be slightly thrilling.
Plus they’ve given me a voicemail, and a computer, and a work email, and a DESK, and it comes with DRAWERS!?
Yes, there is one problem though…that whole thing about not getting paid? Ehh, soon enough my friends. One day this internship lifestyle will result in something we call a real job.
Anyways – back to Day One. Slightly late but only a little ruffled, I find my office and the editorial assistant who’s ready to get me started. After going on the grand tour of Parents magazine, I’m put to work. Fixing email problems, copying papers, opening reader mail (some of which was hilarious PS) to calling in book orders and working on research projects; I felt like on my first day I’d done so much. Yet there was still more to do and projects left incomplete – I even considered doing some of it at home. Don’t worry; I didn’t.
But what a good a feeling.
Already there is a sense that my contributions are important, even with the first week still in progress. More to come…. And stayed tuned because Day Three was a doozy.
Meredith Corp's headquarters in midtown Manhattan.