When you are in your first or second year of college, you hear the words "internship" or "job search" and think of it as this fantasy that is way too far away for it to be a concern. Even the most organized and cautious students sometimes postpone planning because of how busy things can get with schoolwork. When you enter your third year this "fantasy" starts feeling more real, until it becomes a constant in the back of your head (I swear, it's almost like your conscience). When you are in your fourth year, you feel like you should have everything figured out, you realize you don't, and you start to panic. After going through all of these stages, this is what I have learned from my entire internship/job search process.
Breathe. Feelings of stress and anxiety during this search are completely normal. There were a few times when even the thought of it triggered a tiny anxiety attack that could only be cured by going for a walk or going to get some coffee to clear my head. Many factors contribute to these feelings: interviews, auditions, application forms, portfolios, essays, resumés, videos, supervisors, making the right impression, waiting for emails, the "I have no idea what I'm doing" panic mode, deadlines, overthinking and, of course, the thought of not getting an internship or job at all. So, now that we've reviewed our reasons for stressing out, let's proceed with the things we can do to cope.
1. Don't compare yourself to others.
Although it may seem like your friends or peers have their entire lives figured out: one, it is likely that more than half don't; two, everyone functions at their own pace and three, everyone's process is different. Some internship or job applications are far more time consuming than others. Try to focus on your own process and try talking to friends that are in the process of or done with an internship to hear about their experiences. Their perspective is completely different afterward and they might have some interesting words of wisdom for you.
2. Make lists.
To some of you, this may seem like a waste of time, but lists are really helpful! Especially if you organize them from what stresses you out the most to what stresses you the least (or vice versa). This way you will be able to visualize your pending tasks individually and not as a huge clutter in your mind. For example, I made four different lists for each internship site I was applying to, organizing the requirements from most time-consuming to least. And, of course, don't forget about the best part when you're done! Crossing. Stuff. Out.
3. Make a timeline.
Sometimes, when you are applying to four different sites, it becomes really hard to memorize every single deadline. To avoid stressing out over this and missing important deadlines, I made a spreadsheet with a monthly planner and highlighted every single one of them with different colors, depending on each site. I taped it to my door so I could see them every day.
4. If you become too overwhelmed by working on your internship/ job search materials or school work for long hours, indulge in any self-care rituals that have had calming effects on you before.
Reflect for a moment and ask yourself: Am I hydrated? Have I eaten in the past three hours? Have I stretched my legs? Have I over-exerted myself lately? This is your moment to meditate, think positive thoughts about yourself, eat, drink, do yoga, go for a jog, dance in your room, take a shower (while singing) or any other activity that makes you happy. When you feel more relaxed, you can continue working or come up with three tasks you can complete the next day. You'll feel less stressed after planning things out. Trust that you will be able to finish things on time and know that you are completely capable of doing anything you set your mind to!
5. When your interview/audition date is getting closer, think of all the things you can do to prepare yourself.
This is the time for you to reflect on your goals, your short and long term plans, your interests, your work philosophy and your reasons for choosing that internship or job. Interviewers are always interested in getting to know what motivated you to pursue a particular field of work or seek employment at a particular company. Learn as much as you can about their philosophy too, and the ways in which your goals coincide with theirs. This process will also help you refine your personal and professional objectives.
Having secured an internship, I am extremely relieved that this process has come to an end for me. Especially because of the paralyzing anxiety that it made me feel. But this is just me. This is why I was inspired to write about it to help others go through this experience as smoothly as possible. Now, my last step is to actually complete my internship, which I think deserves a new post in the future: "5 Tips for Dealing with Stress During Internship (and other things I wish I knew before starting)." Oh, and then look for a job. But hey, one day at a time!
Don't forget that everyone's experiences are different and you may even come up with other ways to deal with your stress. The most important thing to remember is: We can do this!
