Brace yourself.

Those two words will come in handy when dealing with your first work experience. I do not mean to begin this piece with a downer, but I do want to prepare you all for life's finest experience: getting that first opportunity.

Once you start rounding up to the last years of your college life, everything becomes a little daunting and scary. I have described this feeling before as one of being suspended at the top of cliff and not knowing when you will fall. Yet, these are the moments where we truly learn who we are and what what we are capable of.

What all of this comes down to is preparing for your first experience as an intern and internalizing what that means. There will be a lot of things running through your mind, and most of them will paralyze you with fear and anxiety. I know. I have been there before.

Thankfully, my first experience as an intern was life changing and extremely rewarding. What was the hardest part was the "before." The anticipation of what it would be like was the hardest part of acclimating myself to dealing with "grown up" situations. Getting your resume polished, writing a convincing cover letter, hoping that all your internal flaws won't surface at your interview and lastly, looking as confident as Alicia Florrick from "The Good Wife." ( I can tell you right now, she makes looking it easier than it actually is.)

For the most part, I had the intention of winging it most of the time but I figured that when it came down to my first internships I should probably prepare. By "prepare," I mean note cards and doing research on the place you want to intern at. I figured this would be the first piece of advice I can give.

Also, do not underestimate the power of your own mind. It will desert you when you least expect it and make your waver in your own shoes. This is why preparation is key. That way, you might be dying and shaking on the inside but your heavy set of well-prepared skill sets will do all the talking for you.

Try to smile at your interview. Not one of those "I want this job so bad yet I am scared not to make a great first impression" smiles but a genuine one. It can shake a little around the edges but do try to hold it together. Employers like to see actual human beings working for them. I know you can make a witty, coordinated statement pertinent to a response every now and then, do it.

Expect the unexpected. If you do get the job, learn to take things as they come and handle them with the best attitude you can. There are some things that you cannot prepare for, and that is one valuable tidbit I learned from my first job. Sometimes, you will screw up and feel helpless, but that should not keep you from trying to fix it and keep working.

Lastly, the world will not come to an end. Your first attempt at securing an internship will not determine your worth. If you do not get it, learn from your mistakes and move on. I know, there is nothing worse than feeling "rejected," but I have come to understand that there is a solution to most problems, including being turned down for a job. Just muster up the courage to try again and armor yourself with the knowledge that there are several other opportunities out there.

In the end, if Jeb Bush could get over the painful humiliation that was his campaign (to the point not even being supported by his own mother), you can pick yourself back up again and keep on going. Try everything. Do not be afraid to make a cold call and put yourself out there. It can be painful if your are riddled with anxiety and numbing shyness but it will definitely make you grow as a person.

Here's a motivational video....