I’m about to begin searching for my third co-op, and I’m nowhere near as excited as I was for the first two.
I remember when I was preparing for my first and second co-ops. I was a bundle of excitement and nerves. I couldn’t wait to look through the listed jobs, choose where to apply, and hear back from potential employers who decided that I was worthy of an interview. At the same time, I was a complete wreck thinking about upcoming interviews and how I could potentially bomb them instead of coming across as impressive and prepared. Ultimately, I couldn’t wait to start my first official job and gain experience in my field.
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However, this year I am feeling ambivalent towards my third co-op. Now as I think about the process of looking for jobs, applying, interviewing, deciding, and then working as an intern, I don’t feel excitement because I’ve already done it all before – twice. I know that the Drexel co-op system is supposed to prepare us on the process of finding a job once we graduate, however, I feel like I already gained enough experience interviewing and communicating with potential employers during my first two co-ops. I feel ready enough for the “real world.”
I think I have a bit of “senioritis” – even though I’m not even in my “official” senior year. I am ready to get out of college and actually start working jobs that could end up being my career. I don’t want to go through the whole interview process again just to keep the job for six months and then have to return back to classes. It is my fourth year of college, I’m beginning to feel burnt out, and sometimes I’m jealous of all of my peers at other universities who are done after their fourth year. Even after my final co-op ends, I have almost an entire year left.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Regardless of how unexcited I am for this co-op, at least I know that when I finally graduate college, I’ll have a third internship and six more months of work experience under my belt. I am ultimately grateful for the opportunity to have three different experiences working in real-life settings and gaining skills in my field. I think the co-op program structured through Drexel is something great for young adults to take advantage of before they graduate and have to figure out what to do.
I’m going to make the best out of my final co-op, because even though I’m not excited for it, it doesn’t mean that I should waste the opportunity. At the very least, now I know exactly what to expect from the process and I am prepared. However, I am anticipating the moment when I can dive right into my career and make my life my own – that’s what I’m really excited about.