Seven lessons from my FIRE internship

Meryn Dziemian is a rising junior at the University of Michigan and a FIRE summer intern.

Interns are made for getting coffee, scanning documents, and spending the hours between nine and five mastering the art of looking busy — or so I thought. 

Fortunately, the FIRE internship program does not fit these stereotypes. My fellow interns and I agree that this summer was illuminating. In these short months, we received a crash course in all things First Amendment, learned debate skills (and avoidance tactics), and drastically improved our collaboration skills. Along the way, we also came to understand that passion is essential in a career. 

Here are seven lessons I learned from my FIRE internship:

Nothing was off limits

In a world where many are scared to express their views, both political and otherwise, the FIRE intern community was a breath of fresh air. We constantly expressed our opinions — and had to be prepared to defend them. From politics to lunch locations to themes for the office party, this group of people did not hold back their true thoughts — in the best way possible. Even debates that I thought ended in the mid-1980s were fair game – the Vietnam War and the importance of the nuclear family as recurring favorites. 

In this environment, debates were welcomed rather than suppressed. Even if you fancy yourself more reserved, I can guarantee you will get in at least one passionate war of words with a fellow FIRE intern.

Unexpected friendships were the most powerful

The FIRE internship bore a certain resemblance to the Island of Misfit Toys. We were 13 incredibly different people that agreed on very little aside from the bedrock principle of free speech. 

We came from all across the country and all over the political spectrum, had wildly different hobbies and interests, and often suggested different approaches to projects. Despite these potential points of conflict, I can say with certainty that I have made friends for life during my FIRE internship, and I will always appreciate the chance to work with and befriend people that I may never have crossed paths with in any other circumstance. 

Plus, friendships between free speech advocates are never boring.

Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should

Loving and supporting free speech also meant recognizing that just because you have free speech rights does not mean you always need to exercise those rights. Working with such ideologically diverse people taught me valuable lessons in restraint and communication. It meant learning humility, admitting when I was wrong, and recognizing when to push on what I really believed in. 

Attention to detail was key

For some of us, this summer was our first time working in a “real life” office space. We learned a lot about precision and attention to detail — skills that will doubtless serve us well in our future endeavors. For me, one moment in particular embodied this lesson. 

While planning the FIRE Student Network Summer Conference, we made many trips to and from the “merch closet.” While some of us were packing tote bags for attendees, we sent a pair of interns to look for some missing materials. Because we were not totally sure of what we needed, we told them to wait until we texted them to come down. Unfortunately, we got so swept up in our tote assembly line that we completely forgot they were up there until they returned an hour later. Our carelessness did not go unnoticed, and we spent the next week making it up to them. Details were key to completing projects and supporting one another as a team, and FIRE reaffirmed my dedication to the value of the little things. 

Humor was an important skill

Humor is not only fun,  it’s also a muscle we need to exercise. To some, humor comes naturally. To others, not so much. But it is important for all of us to incorporate humor into our daily lives. It keeps us sane, increases humility and perspective, and allows us to build connections with others. 

Some of my fondest memories from this summer included hearing Julia cackle like a witch and laughing so hard at her own laugh that tears fell from my eyes. Laughing with Aadithya when a lady on the bus thought we were married. Laughing at myself when my brain got foggy and I suggested some truly horrible ideas for projects we were working on. 

We laugh when we are happy, and we should also learn to laugh when we fail or feel discouraged. A sense of humor was integral to this internship and to success in life, and it is part of what made the experience so special. Humor got us through hours of tumultuous commutes, and especially that final Monday, when everyone wanted to kill each other while planning the FIRE Student Network Summer Conference for 100 attendees. 

Presume good will

This is one of FIRE’s core values, and it might be the most important. Presuming good will saved the intern class from catastrophic disagreements time and time again. Both in and out of the workplace, we intentionally recognized one another as humans, not enemies, when we disagreed. Such a perspective is crucial to both democracy and friendship with anyone who differs from you. 

This summer, we learned to think the best of one another despite our profound disagreements. This didn’t happen instantly: it developed over time. Debates that ended with a bit of frost in June became friendly conversations by August. From culture war issues to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we became stronger and more cohesive through civil arguments and shared values of mutual respect, as well as a passion for what we each believe. We got to know one another as people rather than mere colleagues or debate partners. 

Sometimes we still catch ourselves slipping into old habits. But now, someone will actually say “Hey! Presume good will!” out loud and put us back on track. Can you believe it? Gen Z kids were proudly parroting a company’s slogan. 

As students who often find themselves in an increasingly polarized and hostile environment while at school, it just feels so good to know people are not looking at you like a villain the second you dare to disagree with them. 

Different strokes for different folks

The FIRE internship is the place to learn this lesson. There are many ways to convey the general idea, but I am partial to this beautifully succinct version, which can solve countless conflicts but is often forgotten.

What a wonderfully blasé way to express with certainty that one size does not and never will fit all. This little quip characterizes our differences as an inevitability, not something to shy away from or endlessly obsess over. To remember these five words is to admit your relative insignificance and to praise what you uniquely bring to the table at the same time. 

And now, with the help of my colleagues, a quick lightning round of tips and tricks all of the interns have collected from the summer: 

• Nespresso Pods are expensive. 
• Have lunch outside. 
• Do not use ChatGPT for anything. 
• Bring good walking shoes. 
• Stay hydrated!
• The FIRE Sunlight Room is the best workspace.
• The best way to arm yourself with knowledge is to read, read, and read some more. 
• Write a blog post! 

This truly has been one of the best and most memorable summers of my life, and it makes me so excited for my career and future. The ideals of the Constitution and values of liberty come to life in those who work at FIRE. 

As I write this, the interns sitting next to me are debating Jesus’ marital status. No matter the outcome, we will still be friends. That’s the power of free speech principles in action — and leaving 13 free speech nerds relatively unsupervised.