An All-American Intern Dinner

Every week, my roommate Kelley and I host a dinner for all of the Vera Bradley interns. To make the evenings festive, we always designate a theme. So far we've covered Taco Night, Lasanga Night and, this last week, we celebrated the Fourth of July a few days early with a traditional American cookout (if it is still considered a cookout when everything is prepared on a George Foreman grill ... inside). Our spread was rather impressive, with baked beans, fruit, pesto burgers and more. Everyone pitches in with a covered dish, which makes for variety and phenomenal leftovers.

Michael, the Continuous Improvement intern, showing off his skills in the kitchen making macaroni and cheese.

Kelley and I - the hostesses!

There are 17 summer interns, and at one time, we had 15 people in our apartment. While the space is plenty for just Kelley and me, it can get a little tight with so many guests. This issue, and the fresh air, certainly make our deck the most desirable destination.

Michael, enjoying his hamburger and our comfortable Adirondack chairs.

 After dinner the group lingers until someone remembers we all have to get up early for work in the morning. The time just goes so quickly; watching YouTube videos (which leads to countless inside jokes), talking about our departments and playing games. Last week, we played Spoons (though we substituted corks for the spoons, for safety and convenience purposes). The game became pretty intense. I guess this batch of interns is competitive!

Everyone listening intently to the rules of Spoons.

The calm before an intense round.



This new tradition has turned into the perfect way for us to bond outside of work and get to know the interns that work in other buildings or departments. Next up ... Appetizer Night or Chinese. My stomach is growling just thinking about it!

My New Home Sweet Home

Since I am not a Fort Wayne resident, I was grateful when the Human Resources department provided me with several suggestions for affordable, safe housing options in the area. After some careful deliberation, I chose an apartment on the city's north side. It came fully furnished (which my Dad appreciated), and ended up being beautiful (which my Mom and I appreciated).

My apartment complex.

Our living room, with some one-of-a-kind artwork painted by my very talented Grandma Estelyn.

HR also paired me up with another intern, Kelley, for a roommate. Kelley is the Product Development intern, so she gets to design beautiful bags every day. I'm used to living with 75 other girls in my sorority house during the school year, so I am extremely grateful to have someone to come home to after work. Since move-in day, we've had the time of our lives decorating our space with hand-crafted decor, hosting weekly intern dinners, and exploring the city together. I have to say that I think this is a match made in Vera Bradley heaven!

My roommate, Kelley, and I at a TinCaps game.