Just under four years ago, I started my first day working at Nation HQ as a part-time intern. The day was just five days away from when the Edmonton Oilers would select Connor McDavid first overall in the NHL entry draft, and our lives would change forever.
A month into my internship with Oilersnation I was tasked to write an essay introducing myself to the Nation, and about why I think I make a good intern. (We’ll get to that essay a little bit later.) But now, I am writing my goodbye to the Nation, as today will be my final day working at Nation HQ. After years of cheering, crying, and laughing over the Oilers from inside the walls of the Little Brick Cafe, I will be taking some time to explore a different career opportunity, while growing my skills and experience in the marketing industry.
Even though I will no longer be working in Nation HQ, this isn’t a goodbye forever. I will always be The Nation Chris and no one can stop me. You will still see me around this site giving my occasional hot take and booing The Nation Dan. You will even see me at the occasional Nation party and event, so there’s no need to be sad.
For those of you wondering, yes I eventually began working full-time with the Nation and graduated from my internship. I stopped having to pickup Baggedmilk’s daily coffees and clean Wanye’s car, even though my intern title ended up sticking around forever. In my time with Oilersnation, I had the opportunity to participate in a ton of fun activities and trips. In fact, Wanye tasked me with recapping some of my favourite memories with the Nation. So here goes nothing!
Connor McDavid week
As I alluded to earlier, my first five days as an intern was something I was never expecting happen the way it did. It was an action-packed week as I jumped right into the thick of things while preparing for the Connor McDavid draft party, which to-date, was our biggest party in Nation history. The five days was a fast-track lesson to learn all about the Nation and the processes involved. Usually, it would take a person months or years to meet all of the fine Nation Citizens. However, I’m pretty sure I met 80% of you all at the Draft Party that week.
The week involved everything from taking photos of the vandalized “Connor [McDavid]Road” sign in Edmonton, dumping multiple beers on myself for the Kokanee promo team (I can’t find any video for this, thank god), building shelves, hanging blinds, walking dogs, kissing babies, giving arena updates, and much more. The week ended with the draft party which completed my initiation. Sometime late into the night, apparently I got cocky and agreed to write a 500-word essay about why I’m a great intern. After a lengthy delay, I finally got around to writing it. The essay was my first taste at receiving some online criticism, and I quickly knew that the Nation and myself were going to grow into a beautiful relationship.
Nation Vacation
One aspect of Oilersnation that we’re continuously aiming to grow is our travel ventures. Our goal is to bring as many Nation Citizens around the world with us to follow the Oilers, and we’re well on our way to doing it.
Initially, we started out with a few smaller trips. The Nation began hosting a couple of ski trips to the mountains. Then we stepped it up by bringing a handful of Oilers fans to Winnipeg for the Heritage Classic. Once we started to figure out what we were doing, things began to roll with a handful of trips to Calgary to watch some Battle of Alberta games. Then, the big one happened.
Something I never thought would happen unfolded right before my eyes. We loaded a plane with Oilersnation fans and flew them all out to Las Vegas to watch the team play earlier this year. This was an unforgettable experience, and I had the time of my life.
Even though I haven’t travelled a lot in my life, it is something I love to do. What Oilersnation is trying to do by bringing fans together across multiple countries is amazing, and I highly encourage you to tag along on an upcoming trip if you haven’t done so yet. Following the team you love to different cities is something I never really saw myself doing in my lifetime, however, it has quickly become one of my favourite hobbies.
Other Notables
As you may know, we do a lot of random things out of Nation HQ to try to produce some entertaining content for you all. These random things include printing out a cutout of myself and taking pictures with it around the city for prizes and wearing a turkey hat after every team loss. (better yet, eating a can of beets or wearing shorts non-stop). Something that I can’t forget to mention is also being a part of the Nation during the Oilers 2017 playoff run… what a ride!
This city's the best, last night was the greatest, and we want the cup! #MISSION17 #oilers #yeg pic.twitter.com/MKQa3KbQoG
— Chris (@TheNationChris) April 29, 2017
We always had something goofy going on and I’m really going to miss that aspect of the job. I look forward to the many future wacky things the team in Nation HQ cook up.
Thank you
There you have it. There are a ton more memories and experiences I could go into detail about, however, you need to get back to work and can’t spend ALL day reading my article. I want to thank all of the readers of this site and all of the Oilersnation followers on social media for opening up a world for me that I’ve never been a part of before. The Internet can be cruel at times, but in reality, we are all one big family striving for one goal: to watch Connor McDavid hoist the Stanley Cup over his shoulders at Rogers Place. It’s going to happen one day, and we’re all going to be together for it, whether it be in-person or online. The Oilersnation online community is something like no other, and I’m glad to be a part of it now and in the future.
I also wanted to thank The Nation Network ownership, management, and my every-day coworkers who I worked alongside these past four years. This was an opportunity of a lifetime and I’ll never forget the values, skills, and experience I’ve gained during my time here.
Couldn’t take the perpetual losing of this hapless franchise … all the best to you in the future, Chris …
Whoah ho ho there boy. You want to talk perpetual losing? How about 12 first round exits in the last 14 playoff appearances for your sad sack team?
Remind me again, which team has won more playoff rounds over the last five years?
Please tell me who has won more playoff games this decade? Or which captain has made it further? The 35 year old or the 22 year old?
I will take 5 Stanley cups over 1 Stanley Cup any day of the week. Now get lost you troll and perpetual loser.
whoo your still here crying about losing Nygard and your Lamers being out, We get that all the losing is getting to you, lost out on a player who wanted a chance to go deep into the playoffs and have a chance at winning the cup (which of course wouldn’t happen with the Lamers all those early exits and of course only 1 cup ) and Nygard wanting to play with players that compete and want to win (which again excludes your Lamers) You need to look at the bright side of things, all those Lamers Jersey in the discount bin at Value Village and Goodwill will be cheap you can snap them all up and turn around and sell them to the Lamers fans that havent jumped off the bus yet.
Oh C’mon Oscar, we know all those
Can you explain LOLO? Is it the passive aggressive version of LOL?
It was an honor and a privilege to work with you in the last two years.
Been through a lot together and that makes this all the more bittersweet.
Best of luck in your new role and I know they know they’re getting the best guy they could hope for.
Love you buddy.
Quitter…..
I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING!
Can you get me one last coffee?
one of my 1st memories of Chris is “Rhonda” at Canada Post lol. Godspeed & best wishes in your future endeavors Chris!
Good luck kid
Best of luck Chris!
What’s your new role?
Thanks Chris! Best of luck with the future endeavours!
always a pleasure reading your work, Chris.
best to you always.
Wow time flies! I remember watching the arena updates and laughing hard! I also enjoyed blaming the intern for all the Oilers injuries in the weekly Capilano report. Now Chirs is all grown up, ready to spread his wings and fly. Fly you beautiful Intern, fly.
You will be missed. I spent much of your first year thinking you were Jordan Eberle writing incognito! Good luck in your next venture! Don’t sell Life Insurance, that racket sucks!
I’ll raise up my glass and offer this toast, which I think is from W.P. Kinsella (though I could be mistaken for reasons that are self explanatory)
I drank to your health at sunset
I drank to your health when alone
I drank to your health so many damned times
I pretty much ruined my own
Cheers!
Thanks Chris, and best wishes for whatever comes next. And thanks to all of the Nation’s
Congratulations on a good run… I just wish you would have had a few more playoff runs to write about during your time at the Nation. Godspeed little (former) intern…
Best of luck in your new endeavours. I hear MacT is looking for a KHL marketing guru at Lokomotiv.
OK Chris be honest; you’re taking over from JJ at Media Relations. Ken picked the right guy for the job:)
Were our lives really changed that much by that draft? I’m not so sure. Anyway, best of luck in the future, you’ve been a good read.
Chris got canned!? Holland is merciless!
Goodbye Chris and good luck in your future endeavours
I just jumped on my desk and yelled “OH INTERN MY INTERN!” – Thanks for doing such a great job and giving me opportunities to sluff off at work reading you stuffs instead of actually “working” *spits*. The moment we stop growing and moving forward, we start dying. Best of luck in you new role, Sir!
All the best in your future endeavors Chris!!
Thx man. Enjoy the future
God Luck in your future endeavours Chris
#BlameToby
Good luck out there Chris. Can the next intern be female please? Sexy version of injury update please.
Thanks for your “writes”, and all the best on your new street!.
Connor McDavid, “If you don’t believe in this group then you need to leave.”
I don’t think he meant you…
I know we didn’t always see eye to eye …. What the heck does that really mean! But great banter Chris!
Interesting fact
While many idioms are relatively new, the origin of the idiom ‘see eye to eye’ is quite old; in fact, it’s ancient and is found in the Bible. In Isaiah 52:8, we read “The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion