Embracing discomfort is what leads to growth. That is something that I have heard time and time again, but it is something that I am learning firsthand while doing my duties as a Visitor Services Intern for the US Fish and Wildlife Service (referred to as the Service from here). I am someone who tends to be on the quieter side and tend to have a lot of anxiety about social situations. Since I am working with visitor services, this is a large portion of what I do. I have had to do things like give educational programs, be a part of our events that we host, work in the visitor center, and answer questions about the Service when I am doing my duties outside of the office.
One of the hardest parts of the job for me is standing in front of a crowd and talking, so hosting educational programs for kids and their parents has been difficult but rewarding. One of the most common programs I give is a fur and skulls program to help children learn about how animals adapt to their environment through their physical features. Even though this is difficult for me, it makes me happy to see how excited and curious kids get when they are learning about our natural world. I won’t say it’s getting any easier, but I am getting better at standing in front of a crowd and trying to teach them.
The Service hosts events for things like World Migratory Bird Day or participates in other public events like a Youth Outdoor Fest. During these events, I serve as a point of contact for the public to ask questions ranging anywhere from what a plant or animal is to what our mission is as an organization and anything in between. I don’t always know the answer the questions asked, but I always am able to figure what the public wants to know about the natural world or the Service which gives me the opportunity to learn more about both through research and asking question to my coworkers. There is to much for anyone person to know, but I find it exciting to continue to learn more every day.
Answering a wide variety of questions is something that also happens when staffing the visitor center. It is a bit easier to answer the questions here because I know more about the things in our center and the prairie it is on. I also have better access to my mentor and other coworkers as they are in the same building, and I can go ask someone about what the visitor is curious about. We also have volunteers at the center, and it has been a great experience building and maintaining a relationship with them. It is always interesting to learn more about them and why they are interested in helping the Service.
One of my duties is to fill brochure boxes around the Refuge that I work on. It is extremely common for the people enjoying the land to come and ask questions or just have a conversation. The questions range anywhere from what the government is doing about a certain situation, why we are doing something that we are doing, or complaints about something on the refuge. Wearing a uniform gets me a lot of attention which is not something I am used to, but I am learning to appreciate as it provides opportunities to get out of my comfort zone.
Historically, I have used my anxiety as an excuse to not take full advantage of opportunities that I have been given. During this internship, I have forced myself to take advantage of every opportunity for growth that has come my way. This has led to my ability to act despite my anxiety to get better, help build a professional network throughout the Service, and opened the door to many other opportunities like getting to stay with the Service longer than anticipated through a temporary position as a Biological Science Technician.
Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Program: US Fish & Wildlife Service
Location: Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (La Crosse District/Trempealeau)