As the semester finally comes to a close, sometimes it’s hard to just let go and allow ourselves the rest we need. After a continued period of burnout, it can be even harder to recognize those needs and take a step back. The spring semester is exciting, fun, and sunny- but it’s also a looping cycle of intensity that requires real persistence.
For a lot of you, the reason pressure can feel more amplified during this time might be because of internship season. There might feel like there are a lot of expectations to do something meaningful with your summer and get your career started early. That may be the case, but I’m here to tell you why it shouldn’t make or break your summer.
During the most locked-down months of the pandemic, the competition for summer internships (especially remote ones) was higher than ever and I had to process the fact that I wouldn’t have that experience. It took longer than it should have for me to accept this reality, until I finally realized I was wasting my summer being hard on myself.
Maybe getting an internship was never even on your mind- and that’s more than okay. But if you’re browsing LinkedIn and seeing people’s cool Instagram posts about their awesome new opportunity in some trendy city, try to remember that it’s not the end of the world. Comparison is the root of all unhappiness, and ultimately you are not going to have the summer job that that other person has, because you’re not them.
Everyone is on their own path and if you didn’t land the position you were hoping for this summer, it’s because you were meant to learn different lessons. I learned so much that summer that I beat myself up over working restaurant jobs and having fun with my friends. The rejected applications are disappointing. Missing the mark on the expectations you’ve set for yourself is always disappointing- but here’s your reminder that those expectations are probably way too high.
This summer is about never being hard on ourselves, loving how far we’ve come in every aspect of life, and welcoming the adventures that the next three months can bring. So if you didn’t land some high-level, brand-name corporate gig this summer, focus your energy on learning and growing from whatever job you do decide to get- and just having a fun a** summer.