Learning from Doing

I don't know about the rest of you high achievers, but I've always had trouble admitting that I don’t understand something, especially when it comes to academic knowledge or a similar skill set. Not understanding a subject or an idea is incredibly frustrating to me, probably one of the things that frustrate me the most.

I try to remedy my lack of knowledge by reading and listening and continually educating myself. This internship has been an exercise in that—in not understanding things, not knowing all the answers, and even feeling confused. Jumping from little to no knowledge about the specifics of public policy to actually helping MAP develop future policy initiatives and doing an incredible amount of research is really proving to me just how much I still have to learn.

For example, the process behind actually writing a bill, getting people inside and outside of Congress to support it, funding it, marketing it, etc. is such an intricate process, more so than even I realized before starting this internship, and I think I had a pretty good working knowledge of how that happens. I’ve learned more about the political process and public policy through sitting in on meetings and talking with my boss than any class or book has been able to teach me.

So far, I’ve drawn a few life lessons out of my experience at MAP. I don’t have all the answers and probably never will, but the only way to figure that out is by asking questions and being open to new information and experiences. Opportunities to experience a field first-hand are absolutely invaluable for learning about a field, as I have discovered in the short time I’ve been here. I’m looking forward to another month of new information and furthering my understanding of the field and of the communities MAP serves.