An internship can help shape a student’s future career path, but sometimes the physical journey to get there can be the biggest hurdle. Amtrak enables Bella Fylstra, a Fashion Merchandising major with minors in Product Development and Global Studies, to gain real-world experience in New York City as a full-time college student in Poughkeepsie.
Bella has been commuting from Poughkeepsie to New York City one to two times a week since August, balancing two internships in competitive industries. She’s just 1.2 miles from the Poughkeepsie Amtrak station and catches an early train after leaving her apartment in the morning.
In one role, she is a social media intern focused on production and organization, working in a studio environment. Bella is also a social media manager for a jewelry company, where she films products and creates videos for online platforms.
Her full commute takes about two and- a-half hours door to door, but Bella says it doesn’t feel long. “Time goes by a lot faster than I think,” she says. “I blink, and then I’m there.”
Once she’s onboard, she doesn’t waste time. “I work on my assignments for school and edit videos for my social media internship,” she says. On the ride back, she’ll talk with coworkers or call her mom.
She has her favorite spots on the train, too. She prefers window seats or the corner seats that face each other because there’s more room. Her favorite part of the ride? “Looking at the river,” she says. In the mornings, the train feels busier. In the afternoon, the ride home is less hectic, but the Hudson views are just as breathtaking.
Commuting has also helped her grow professionally. “It makes my days more productive,” Bella adds. She also believes that interacting with professionals in a business environment prepares her for life after graduation. “It’s nice to go into a real workspace and talk to people. It’s nice that Poughkeepsie is close enough to do that.”
Amtrak has enabled Bella to balance two internships and her classwork. While she says she could manage without it, it would be extremely difficult. “I wouldn’t get as much experience in the fashion world,” she says.
Beyond internships, the train has expanded her college experience in unexpected ways. She often rides into the city for dinner with friends and even saw Dancing with the Stars live on tour, given the show’s accessibility to the train station.
Taking Amtrak was the obvious choice for Bella. “I would never want to park in the city,” she admits. Bella also relies on Amtrak to get home during school breaks. She takes the train from Poughkeepsie to Penn Station, then connects to the Long Island Railroad to finish the trip. Growing up on Long Island, the routine feels familiar and easy. Instead of worrying about traffic or long drives, she can relax, catch up on work, or call family while traveling. For Bella, the train doesn’t just take her to work. It brings her home, too.
Bella advises other students considering New York City internships to: “Take the train. It’s worth it. It saves you time. Try to get your jobs to pay for the train. It makes the commute that much easier.”
To Bella, Amtrak isn’t just transportation. It provides valuable access to opportunities, connecting her Poughkeepsie classroom to realworld New York City jobs helping her realize her career goals.
Students, ages 13 to 25, with a valid student ID are eligible for 15% off the lowest Amtrak Value or Flexible Fare on the Adirondack, Empire Service, Ethan Allen Express and Maple Leaf trains in New York State. Seats are limited and must be reserved at least one day in advance. For more information, visit amtrak.com/promotions/state/ new-york-student-discount Or, use the Amtrak app and enter code V238 when booking your trip.