College has been one of the most stressful experiences of my life to-date (which was to be expected). If it was not hard enough performing a balancing act between my various academic, social, and extracurricular activities – I am now faced with an even bigger issue. Summer Internships.
Now it may seem a little insane to be worrying about my summer plans as early as January, but that’s just what the kids are doing these days – and if you aren’t worried, you’re behind (and screwed). The world is becoming more competitive by the minute; I mean it takes a single “get to know each other” first day of class session to learn that the dreams of all of those around you align very similarly to your own. It’s hard to shake off the feeling of competition and desperation that grips the soul the moment a peer announces their various accomplishments or plans of grandeur. My inner monologue has consistently been a cross between “f*ck my life” and “f*ck them” for the past several weeks. It’s hard to feel like you are consistently watching opportunities slip through your fingers, and that destiny conveniently skipped the knock at your doorstep.
Hours of browsing every kind of internship listing database you can find, hoping to make an impact but knowing thousands like you had probably at around just the same moment hit the “submit” button as well, can be a bit harrowing.
Don’t even get me started on the connections conversation. I get it, that’s what the world is all about nowadays – “networking” – but there is something to be said about privilege and silver spoons and inequality. We all wish we could make a call to that obscure uncle that happens to be best friends with the editor of Vogue but we can’t be that girl – because we know her, and she sucks.
As far as advice goes I have none to extend. I am struggling just as I am sure countless college students alike seem to be at this point. It’s a competitive world out there and the only thing you really can do is keep pushing, and believe that you as an individual have something uniquely your own to contribute to it. As much as we all seem to be carbon copies of one another, with identical resumes and cover letters claiming “dreams of achieving x, y, and z,” I would like to think that there is an original in each of us, and that our place will reveal itself eventually.
Continue to scroll your listing services, and submitting your resume to everything and everyone. Continue to send emails to your brothers, sisters, uncles, best friend who may or may not be able to get you a phone interview with “x” company. Do what you got to do, because if you keep pushing, it will all work out. A yes is a yes, and it will come… eventually.
