Intern Spotlight

Jackie Acosta

Intern Fall '17

Lowell

Class of 2020

If you could live in only one city for the rest of your life, where would you live? Why?

SF. Probably because it's all I know and I'm scared of change. I'm also terrified of failure and moving to a different city would be completely new for me. But also because SF is full of opportunities.

What is the one thing people misunderstand about you?

I can be quiet at first if I haven't met you before, but once you get to know me, I never stop talking. I used to be shy but high school has brought me out of my shell. I'm still working on being outgoing with everyone, but I've definitely gotten better at it. I'm pretty approachable and will talk about anything, but don't ask me for directions because I'm always lost.

What are some big challenges you had to overcome? How did you overcome these challenges?

I used to be super shy and people weren't the nicest to me, so that made me closed off to everyone except my closest friends. The things people have said to me still affect me today, but I have learned how to deal with it, and one of those ways is by making friends and talking to them about anything and everything. I have found people who I can talk to without being judged for every word I say. Another thing I struggle with is that I care a lot about what people think of me. Everyone says to not care, but I feel like everything I do is for other people. I'm still trying to work on this, but it's hard when people are constantly talking about you.

What is your favorite movie of all time?

White Chicks. It's the best movie ever! It makes me laugh every time. If you haven't watched it yet, I highly recommend it.

Where do you see yourself in the future? Jobs? Dreams?

Hopefully, I'll find a job right after college and not have that much student loan to pay. I'm thinking of either being an accountant or lawyer. Whatever my career is, I want to be good at it. My dream to live in an all gray house, have an office job and have sushi everyday for lunch, support myself financially, and be a young-ish mom. I don't want people questioning whether I'm their mom or their grandma.

How has HIM affected your life so far?

HIM has given me leadership and professionalism skills. It has helped me during interviews when I can talk about my experiences and how I have learned from them. HIM gives me a safe space to see how the real world is and prepares me for future situations. I have found that sometimes people, grownups especially, do not treat me as seriously as I should be because of my age and size and HIM has helped me find ways to present myself to be taken seriously.