A Stroke of Luck

All summer, I was super stressed about my internship situation for this semester. At the end of last spring, I determined that I wanted a paid internship this fall. Also, after a series of emotional breakdowns regarding my future, I decided to not only pursue editorial positions, but public relations ones as well.

I worked hard, constantly applying to paid internships. While it was always relatively easy to get hired as an unpaid intern, paid internship positions are far more competitive, mostly because so few companies are willing to pay interns at this point. By the end of my search, I had applied to around thirty positions.

It was frustrating. I would get requests for interviews and not hear back from the reps for days. I would have interviews and not hear anything back for weeks. I was very stressed and very discouraged. But I continued to try my best, be honest, and I continued to apply places. My parents were proud of my persistence, and continually assured my that my determination would work out for me in the end.

I was even offered an unpaid position with a company I would have really loved to work with, which I kept as a last-resort type option, but because I set my sights on a paid internship, I couldn’t settle just yet.

Just as I was running out of motivation and hope, I heard back from a company I had completely forgotten about asked me for an interview. And as I talked to the team, I found myself being completely honest with them and laughing along with them as we spoke. And in the car on my way to school, they contacted me asking me to stay on the team for the fall.

And the funny thing is is that it’s a publicity internship— something I have no experience with, but lots of interest in. I’m so excited to start and to meet everyone and work the amazing events. I’m excited to not have to constantly count my pennies and to be able to save up for next year.

I’m going to be busy, there’s no doubt about that, but I can’t wait to see what this semester holds. I’m so lucky nothing before this worked out and I’m so happy that this did work out.