Name: Nayja Shah
Class Year: 2027
Major: Economics
 
Internship Organization: Paradigm Forum
Internship Title:   Summer Research Intern
Location:  Remote
 
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!  

At Paradigm Forum, I research the increasingly addictive relationship between digital technology and people. This internship was prominently self-motivated. I chose a virtue I found missing in modern society: idleness, and explored why we humans are becoming more uncomfortable with doing nothing. I also began drafting a questionnaire with the hopes to help my peers reflect on their use of technology and why it seems that so many of us are choosing to be busy over being idle. Towards the end of this internship, I am going to create a monograph based on the virtue I researched to encourage people to try doing nothing.

Why did you apply for this internship?

When I first discovered this internship on Handshake, I found it to be the perfect intersection of my work and academic experience. I was seeking a research opportunity that’d allow me to both introspect and have an impact on my community. Having worked as an English tutor, I came to realize that many young people are not properly equipped to critically think because of our increasing use of digital technology. With this realization and my data science coursework, I saw the research opportunity at Paradigm Forum to be an ideal opportunity to dig deeper, for both myself and the kids I work with.  

What was the biggest challenge you have faced at your internship? 

The biggest challenge I experienced at this internship was the fact that it was remote. While to many, including myself, a remote internship is a blessing, I found it difficult initially because of the nature of the internship. Our research required more reflection and thought and I wanted to discuss a lot of what I read with my supervisor and partners, however that was not possible when we were only able to meet once a week via zoom. So early on, I realized that to deal with this mental block I needed to both get better at journaling and communicating via email. I found myself a notebook and would summarize the articles I read or the podcasts I listened to daily. Then whenever I needed guidance, I emailed my supervisor or made mental notes as to what I should ask during the weekly meetings. This has helped me not only improve my communication skills but also has encouraged me to introspect, something I hadn’t done in quite a long time. 

What is something you have learned from your internship that you didn’t expect? 

I learned a lot more about boredom and doing nothing that I could ever expect to know. It is quite ironic, because as an economics major (where almost everything we learn about is tied back into how humans can be more productive) the research I am doing this summer is the complete opposite of everything I’ve been told to prioritize. Now, productivity seems to be an afterthought, and I’ve begun to reflect on how I can best grow and connect with my community.