I don't remember the last time I went a day without hearing in some way, shape, or form about someone's internship.

Being a part of the journalism program at Iowa State, I'm required to complete a 400-hour internship to graduate. Therefore, it's something I think about a lot. And to be real, it's something I constantly stress about. I know it's not just me as well.

Getting that internship is a focus for many college students, regardless of major. I'm aware of this because it seems like everyone is always talking about their pursuits and applications and successes.

I'm about to end my sophomore year (which I can't even fathom), and I understand that most people usually (at least at Iowa State) don't start actively seeking their internship until their junior year. However, I feel like this trend is changing. I've noticed there are more and more people in my grade finding super cool companies in their field to work for this summer.

I want to make it clear that I'm not in any way bitter toward anyone who is successful in their pursuit of an internship. Every time I see one of my friends or peers announce that they're achieving one of their major career goals, I get excited for them, and it in turn makes me excited for my future.

However, I would be lying if I said it didn't make me feel somewhat inadequate.

And I don't see enough of people admitting that they feel the same way, even though I know I'm not the only one. I believe this goes back to the social norm of failure being something no one wants to talk about. It's not even failure, too–it's simply not being in the same place others are, which is 100% fine.

I think to break this stigma we need to be more open about what we haven't achieved, and also focus more on what we're working toward and how we're planning on getting there. I want to hear more people say things like, "Although I'm not going to LA or NYC, I'm going to be taking classes, starting my own blog, and working on my resume this summer, and I'm very excited about it because I'm getting sh*t done."

The little achievements are worth acknowledging.

Overall, the main point of this article is to remind you that everyone's path to success is not the same. You can have multiple internships by the time you're done with your freshman year, or you can be graduating without any–either way, you'll be alright in the end.

I'm still working on recognizing this and I'm trying to not compare myself to others, because I know it's imperative to my self esteem and well-being.

Focus on you, and be confident in your abilities. The right opportunities will come at the right times – whether that's an internship or not.