An unpaid summer internship sounds less enjoyable than a glass of unsweetened iced tea. It sounds like even four packages of Splenda would not be enough to make the situation more desirable. However, like most things in life, it is all about perspective and they way one perceives the situation. An unpaid summer internship can be distinguished two ways.

First, more than likely, a college student would rather be out enjoying the hot steamy summer sun instead of sitting behind a dusty office desk in a stuffy, cold building, earning no money. There is your first perspective, making the summer internship sound dull and depressing.

However, if you get the creative juices flowing, the internship could be seen as something completely different. The moment you step into that dull and depressing office, tell yourself that you are stepping into the office of your dream job. Take a second to think about what that dream job would be, and what the environment would look like. All throughout the day work as if you were working at your dream job. The effort you would mindlessly apply at the dream job should be applied at the dreadful internship as well.

TODAY Show co-host, Savannah Guthrie sums up this idea perfectly when she told a group of college graduates, “You work at the small thing, like it is the big thing.” You, as college students or graduates should take this into consideration because if you pass up every opportunity thrown your way, (the small things), you are more like to never end up at the job you spend years dreaming about. It is opportunities like these unpaid, unwanted summer internships that help get your foot into the golden door of that dream job. If that short piece of wisdom was not exciting or inspiring enough to help get you through a dull unpaid summer internship, then take into considering these ideas below: 

1.      “Started from the bottom, now we’re here.” Needless to stay, Drake speaks the truth. You have to start somewhere, right? This means, starting at the bottom, and eventually, if you work hard and apply effort, you will eventually get to the top, or somewhere close that is tolerable. 

2.      #whitegirlprobz For those who do not know, this hashtag is commonly seen with girls Starbucks Instagram post and is now becoming a sarcastic trend with the men. Point being, keep Starbucks or some form of caffeine in your unpaid summer internship diet.

It will help keep you sane and away from thinking about throwing all the paper in the air while yelling YOLO, then proceeding to proudly march out of the building. 

3.      Get a rich friend who will bring you with them on all their summer trips, leaving you no time for an unpaid summer internship. No explanation required.  

 4.      Repeating, “it’ll look good on my resume.” It’s true, nothing is more appealing to employers than a job application with a filled in “experience” section. Whether it is a clothing store or corporation, experience is experience. 

5.      Have your own personal theme days. America day, Hawaiian day, Nerd day, maybe the office will catch on. 

6.      Woo your boss and other employees with baked goods. The Pillsbury Doughboy won’t mind if you take the credit. 

7.      Pull the classic office pranks. Stapler in Jell-O and blame it on that annoying guy who awkwardly hits on you in HR. 

8.      Rank the office hotties.  Sometimes you have to look past the glasses (think Clark Kent.)