Claire, your internship brought you to Florida for the last six months, what sets Florida apart from other places you’ve lived in or visited?
Florida’s natural areas and state parks. Florida includes so many different types of ecosystems, such as hammock forests, scrub, beach dunes, and marshes to name a few. The state parks system creates an environmentally sound way for the public to connect with Florida’s beautiful natural areas.
If you could leave one piece of advice for Cadence’s next intern, what would it be?
My piece of advice is the popular saying, “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” While I didn’t come up with this advice myself, it is so true. You are here to learn and grow, so get comfortable being uncomfortable, it’s a symptom of you expanding your capabilities.
What did you learn or experience that you were not expecting during your internship?
Getting to design. I remember when Gage asked if I wanted to try designing a residential landscape, it was such an unexpected and exciting moment. Gage and peers helped with the design, but it was still close to my original concepts. The client ended up loving the designs!
What book are you currently reading?
Thank you for Being Late by Thomas L. Friedman. Rebecca recommended it to me, any book she recommends is worth setting aside time for.
What did you think you were going to be growing up?
In kindergarten, a rockstar. In high school, someone who could help save the world. I think a lot of teens feel like this. It’s a good thing landscape architecture is a great field to make positive impacts!
What are you most looking forward to back home in Louisiana?
Family, and the crawfish boils.
