Believe me, I get it. Finding an internship is hard. I’m knee-deep in the middle of that arduous process myself, and sometimes, it makes me want to tear my hair out. There are so many internship options out there, and finding—not to mention actually getting—the one that is right for you can be really stressful. In my experience, it can be a highly emotional process, consisting of feelings like:
1. Anticipation
This is the best part of the whole process, in my opinion. At this stage in the game, the whole world seems wide open. Intership opportunities are exciting and seemingly endless. However, this sense of optimism, while enjoyable, directly contribues to the next stage—which is considerably less enjoyable.
2. Procrastination
Deadlines seem so far away at this point, so why bother writing cover letters or shaping up your resume? Trust me, I know that feel. I’m a master procrastinator, well-versed in the art of convincing myself that I can put off applying for internships until a later date. Unfortunately, as we all know, this never ends well. Which brings me to the third stage…
3. Stress
Now is when crunch time begins! Thanks to all of that procrastinating you inevitably did in the second stage—and don’t act like you didn’t!—you’re forced to complete a huge amount of work in just a little bit of time. You’re frantically writing cover letters and asking professors and old bosses if they’ll give you references, and all of this is seriously stressing you out! I know it’s rough now, but you’ll make it through. And when you do, you’ll probably feel…
4. Relief
Ah, sweet, sweet relief! After completing all of that work, it feels like the weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders. Unfortunately this stage doesn’t last very long.
5. Anxiety…Because very quickly, anxiety starts to set in. What if you don’t get that interview? Or worse, what if you do get that interview, and it goes terribly? Keeping calm is crucial at this stage. I know it’s hard, but allowing your feelings of anxiety to overwhelm you can psyche you out and cause you to bomb interviews that you would have otherwise rocked. Have a little faith in yourself. You’ve got this!
6. Rejection
This is, without a doubt, the worse stage of all. Unfortunately, part of growing up is learning to cope with rejection—or at least, that’s what they tell me. You aren’t going to get every internship that you apply for, and as hard as it is, you have to learn to be tough. Try not to see these rejections as failures, but as stumbling blocks that will eventually put you on the path to the right internship. Believe me, you will find that right internship.
7. Elation
Congratulations! You did it! You scored the perfect internship! I knew you could do it. Now’s the time to sit back and enjoy this happy feeling. You’ve earned it.
So, what do you think? Do these seven stages reflect your experiences with applying for internships? Are there any you would add? Let me know what you think, and best of luck to all of y’all as you start to apply for internships. You’ll do fantastic!
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