A Reflection on Thoughtful Experiences
- monicaeirenetb
- Jul 2
- 4 min read
By Monica Barizo
After almost a year of working at StudioFC and constantly in a reflective state of thinking, I’ve gathered my thoughts and a summary of my journey so far in a single blog.
How I Started
Internship applications as a twenty-something meant that it was finally time to take life a bit more seriously. The constant updating of my CV and deciding whether or not to include a project in my portfolio was a process in itself, but what took longer was a self assessment of whether or not I could handle a more significant shift in my routines. As one of the many communications students wishing for a role somewhere in the creative industry, it’s no secret that taking internships would give me a head start to experience working with seasoned creatives and learn from their own realizations from years of working on different projects. While this sounds great and ideal, undergoing an internship also meant that I had to figure out—sooner than later—how I could juggle a part time role and my endless school work.
I would often have in mind the glaring thought of having to take on bigger, more serious responsibilities and doubt whether I was “ready” or not—though it’s debatable whether one is ever truly ready for change.
Regardless, I pep talked myself into getting used to the idea that I needed internships if I genuinely wanted to learn and experience more, and I figured that my first step would be to save almost every “we’re hiring” post I see online.
It was in July of 2025 when my partner sent me StudioFC’s job listing for a growth and operations intern. He already knew Four and was aware that I was actively searching for internships, so I thought of it as some sort of sign. What intrigued me the most wasn’t the thought of finally and seriously applying for a fitting role (surprisingly), but the fact that they required “a kind human”—something I don’t normally see on job listings. After quite a while of deep thinking, I bit the bullet and secured an online meeting with Lyka while I was in my hometown where I was visiting for the summer.
Naturally, I felt the nerves throughout my entire body as it wasn’t a situation I was familiar with yet. Lyka, however, made everything easy and straightforward. One moment I’d be fidgeting with my fingers; the next, I’m telling her the entire story of how I ended up studying at my current university. That one meeting gave me an inkling that I’d thrive in the environment they created as a creative studio. I thought that beyond taking a role to increase work experience, I was giving myself a chance to explore myself—how I’d go about challenges, how I’d bond with the team, and how I’d express myself more through my work.
Working at the Studio
I’ve come to many realizations about myself through working at StudioFC. For one, I’ve developed a good work ethic that balanced school, work, and fun. Admittedly, this was what worried me the most because I didn’t want to sacrifice one thing for the other. What helped me achieve a healthier transition to new routines was giving myself time for fun activities, whether during the weekends when the team goes offline, or on late nights during the week when my friends and I would go out for a snack to debrief our days. Another realization was the importance of being a kind human and remembering that everyone’s a work in progress.
I was able to achieve balance in different aspects of my life mainly because I was surrounded by people who were always considerate of others and communicated with me respectfully—never in a way that felt like I was just an intern and nothing more. Four would always remind me that, just like everyone on the team, I’m an asset to the studio, so my feedback and opinions were just as valuable. It was through the simple check-ins during our weekly alignment meetings, occasional sharing of personal achievements in our group chat, and in our IRL work that we got to know the team more and enabled us to develop a stronger support system that extended beyond work projects.
In terms of what it is I actually do, I could never give a singular answer because I get to try just about everything! So far, I’ve done influencer marketing, email marketing, social media, event management, and lead generation. I’m allowed to explore what roles I could do best, and which ones I don’t resonate with as much and I think that that’s one of the greater parts of working for an agency/creative studio.
Working on different things gave me the ability to be a “yes” person, turning self doubts into opportunities for learning instead of getting stuck on the worrying stage which, admittedly, was something I struggled with before.
The Essence of Thoughtful Experiences
Over the last year, thoughtful experiences at the studio weren't limited to the work that we did for others; it carried on to my personal life. More than an internship experience, it was undoubtedly a journey that allowed for much self reflection. I’m glad that I’m able to maximize the existing skillset I have while working on improving new skills that I wouldn’t have acquired otherwise with people who value purposeful work over superficiality.
Jumpstarting my creative journey with an internship was a thoughtful experience in and of itself because I was constantly reminded that thoughtfully done work was the blueprint. In the many moodboards and decks I’ve created, in how I approach strangers on the Internet hoping to work with them on a campaign, in communicating with other creatives both inside and outside the team, and in how I manage my workload, I’ve learned that nothing could ever truly be done without good purpose and intention; that every decision—minuscule or significant—should be aligned to our core principle; and that thoughtful experiences aren’t created by one person, but by a community.
— Mon, Creative Operations Intern, StudioFC
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