We'd just returned from the traditional farewell lunch for departing editorial interns at cavernous Henry's Hunan up the street. Jules Zucker, a rising senior at the University of Southern California ("I love banjos, backpacking, and a good breakfast burrito"), didn't stand around waiting for the elevator to take us back to Sierra's offices. She took off running up the stairs. "Race ya!"

Interns are Sierra's lifeblood, our quarterly infusion of energy, optimism, and talent. Some are mid-college, some dipping their toes into publishing, others attempting a career course correction. The deal is pretty straightforward: Interns assiduously fact-check stories for the magazine, saving us no end of shame and embarrassment, and write clever and clicky online material for our Green Life blog. In return, they get to witness the editorial sausage-making process up close. Some interns end up as contributing writers, or even staff, so sometimes we don't have to say goodbye after all. 

We piled into the elevator and exited on the fourth floor. Jules was already there, waiting. "I win!" Sierra does, too.

 This article appeared as "Two Steps Ahead" in the November/December 2015 print edition of Sierra.