Heading into Mental Health Awareness Month at the end of the semester, there’s a quiet tension a lot of us are carrying. On one hand, we’re sold the idea of a “soft life,” filled with rest, ease, and everything falling into place. On the other, we’re stepping into a summer that feels anything but soft. No solid plans. No guaranteed internships. Just uncertainty, pressure, and the expectation that we should somehow have it all figured out.
The truth is, a lot of us don’t.
There’s this unspoken competition that ramps up as soon as finals approach. It shows up in long talks with our parents about what’s next, the constant LinkedIn notifications announcing someone else’s new role, and group chats buzzing about internships, scholarships, and relocations. It even shows up in the pressure to present a curated version of your life online, like you’re supposed to be building a brand and a future at the same time.
Meanwhile, you’re just trying to keep up with being a person.
Beyond the resumes and applications, this stage of life is a lot. You’re learning how to be an adult for the first time while balancing school, career decisions, finances, friendships, and maybe even living on your own. You’re figuring out what you want to do while also feeling like you should already be doing it. You’re learning how to cook, keep your space clean, maintain your relationships, and honestly just keep yourself mentally and physically well.
That transition period, especially May, doesn’t get talked about enough. It’s not just about finishing finals. It’s packing up your life, returning borrowed clothes, saying goodbye to routines and people who became part of your everyday life, and stepping into the unknown. It’s closing one chapter without fully knowing what the next one looks like.
Then there’s the pressure of summer internships.
They feel like a make or break moment, as if not securing one in time means you’ve fallen behind. What people don’t always say out loud is how unpredictable and stressful that process actually is.
Last year, I finished the spring semester with zero internships lined up.
None.
For someone who’s always juggling multiple interests and opportunities, people assumed I had everything figured out. The reality was very different. I was up late applying everywhere. LinkedIn, Instagram, Google, Indeed. Constantly searching, refreshing, and hoping something would stick.
For one role, I found out the application deadline had already passed. Still, I knew I was a strong fit, so I took a chance. I cold emailed the hiring manager, explained why I belonged there, and attached everything. My resume, portfolio, LinkedIn, and website.
They responded the next day.
By the end of the summer, I had completed three internships.
It wasn’t luck. It was timing paired with persistence, faith, and the willingness to keep showing up even when things felt uncertain. I followed up. I stayed consistent. I trusted that what was meant for me would find me, but only if I kept putting in the work.
That’s the part people don’t highlight enough.
Nothing is just luck. It’s the right timing, meeting preparation, effort, and the courage to keep going when things aren’t falling into place right away. You’ve been working, even if it doesn’t feel like it’s paying off yet.
As Nikki Giovanni once said, “We are better than we think and not yet what we want to be.”
That tension sits at the center of this moment. You’re more capable than you feel when you’re scrolling through everyone else’s achievements and questioning your own timeline. At the same time, you’re still becoming. Still building, still learning, still figuring out what you actually want your life and career to look like. Not having everything lined up for the summer doesn’t erase the work you’ve already put in. It just means you’re in the middle of your process.
That’s where the idea of a soft life needs to be redefined.
A soft life isn’t about having everything perfectly aligned or stress free. It’s about how you support yourself in that in-between space, where nothing feels certain but everything is still possible. It’s giving yourself grace when your plans don’t look like everyone else’s. It’s protecting your mental health while still doing the hard things. Applying, emailing, trying again. It’s trusting that even in seasons that feel unclear, you are still moving forward.
It’s understanding that rest and hustle can coexist.
So if you’re heading into this summer without a clear plan, feeling behind, or questioning whether you’re doing enough, remind yourself of this. You’re not late. You’re not behind. You’re on your own path, moving at your own pace.
Be clear about what you want. If you’re not sure yet, that’s okay too. Clarity comes with time and experience. Once you find something that feels right, hold onto it. Go after it fully. Stay consistent, stay open, and don’t let rejection convince you to stop.
This summer might not be soft in the way social media defines it. It might be uncomfortable, uncertain, and full of growth.
That doesn’t mean you’re not exactly where you need to be.