The dreaded question to any college student: what are your plans for this summer?
The judgment is at its maximum. Thankfully, the past two years, I have had pretty good answers to this question. Freshman year, I followed it by explaining how I was volunteering and interning at an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico, making money beforehand & traveling afterward. Last year I got to say how I had a marketing internship through the J-School in Buenos Aires, Argentina, one of the largest cities in the world, while gaining credit for four college classes. And this year? I don't know yet. Absolutely no idea.
Summer is supposed to be all about relaxing, having fun and partying. But to some people, it's a chance to catch up on learning they couldn't get around to during the traditional school year. They can take online college courses for example. Online programs have courses to fit any stage of your education. Students can also apply for summer jobs, or internships. This government internship website is one of many you'll find online. There seems to be increasing pressure on students to do something with their vacation time.
There is is a lot of pressure in college to obtain the best summer job or internship. Gaining job-related experience (paid or unpaid) is vital in today's market to receive any type of employment post-graduating. But the one underrated idea I have come to realize about summers is that for the most part, it is the one time in life before entering the work force that you have to do whatever you choose.
Taking internships and jobs are obviously investments in the future, but what happened to living in the present? You could choose to take up a hobby you really like, travel the world, be with family, make money by waitressing or working at a camp; overall, follow through on something you really love. But we forget about what we want and conform to what the world (professors, employers, our own friends) tells us we should do. And in a lot of cases, that is work.
I am trying to embrace this idea of limited time by only applying to an internships that I would love to have the opportunity to complete and never even look back on. But unfortunately, I am a conformist; my mind can barely grasp taking a few weeks off and waitressing like I did in high school to get some money, flying across the country to visit friends or see places, or be a camp counselor. Would all of these be incredibly fun? Of course, but in a world of validation, too many people get shunned rather than respected for doing what they love rather than getting another resume builder.
If there's anything I've learned in the past few days, it's to make investments in the present. Take the trip. Take the unpaid job if you like it better than the paid one. You don't need an internship because it's what your friends are doing, do it because it's where YOU want to work. Use these summers to your advantage because one day, you'll be fighting for days off to go on vacations with your kids. And don't be afraid of what others think!
Of course you wrote this at 2:31 am... :-p
ReplyDeleteBut it's as if you're pulling thoughts from my head. Summer is just yet another stress now. When all I want is to just do nothing. Oh well, we'll figure it all out, I'm sure you'll find yet another opportunity of a lifetime :)