It is much different advocating for yourself in the workplace than it is in High School. I am a student with a 504 plan for (if I remember correctly) emotional trauma. A 504 allows for students with a "disability identified under law" to get certain accommodations to ensure their success (it differs from an IEP, where a student will get specialized instruction, do some research if your curious.) However, no such thing exists in the working world. Before coming to internship I understood Self-Advocacy as stepping out of the classroom when something was triggering or letting my teacher know when I wasn't going to be able to turn in a project on time. Here, self advocacy has a whole new meaning. Self advocacy is letting my mentor know when I've finished a task she gave me and not waiting for specific instruction to be productive (ex. working on my project when no one has a set task for me to do of goofing off.) It's taking my lunch break when I have come to a decent pausing point because there is no one standing over me to say "It's time for lunch," taking a pen and paper to every meeting we have and finally it's asking for help when I need it. I am glad I don't have anyone holding my hand because everyday I come into internship I am proving to myself that this is the right path for me and I can handle every responsibility my internship offers me.