Krisjanis dobelis, Brand Strategy intern at Anomaly, New York

My time in New York has been nothing short of a lifetime adventure.

I’m interning at Anomaly, which doesn’t call itself an advertising agency. As the name suggests, it’s a deviation from the norm, and they stand by it in everything they do, from client relationships to the rigorous strategy and creativity they put out.
I won’t beat around the bush; the first months were tough. Dealing with imposter syndrome, adjusting to a new culture, and having every idea questioned to its core wasn’t easy. But with time, and thanks to the support of my managers and coworkers, I gained the confidence and skills I needed to deliver. In these nine months, I’ve worked on global retail campaigns and quarterly audits, hospitality brand platform development, and entertainment restructurings, projects through which I’ve seen what the broadest definition of creativity looks like and learned how a strategy-first approach drives real impact.

Beyond the projects I never dreamed I’d get to work on, I’ve spent almost every free minute exploring the city. I’ve travelled to the far south and west of the U.S., but I always come back to New York with even more excitement and a kind of restless curiosity to experience more than when I left. From the city’s multicultural corners to its endless and unexpected happenings, I want to see it all.
Pro tip for anyone coming here: live in Brooklyn, buy a bike, and be ready to miss out, because there’s always something happening. That’s probably the most important thing to remember from my story.

They say New York is the heart of the world, and there’s really no denying it. I couldn’t be more grateful for where I’ve ended up, what I’ve experienced, and the people who’ve helped me come this far.