The waiting game

For the past couple of months, I’ve been trying to sort out my plans for the summer. My main focus is landing an internship, and I’ve already applied to six different ones. The search for finding one was an obstacle in itself, since 80% of internships require applicants to have completed at least one year of their undergraduate studies. In the small pool of ones that I did find, companies further specified certain levels of experience that applicants had to have. As a freshman, I thought, How am I supposed to get an internship to gain experience when all internships require years of experience?Nevertheless, I searched through hundreds of positions and applied to a total of six internships that fit my qualifications.

So far, I’ve heard back from three out of the six programs that I applied to. One of them, that I actually thought I had a good chance of getting, kindly rejected me with the explanation that they were looking for someone with more experience. Surprise, surprise!

I received an email from another program that they updated their online application portal, and if I was still interested in the internship I should re-submit my application. So I go and look at the updated internship description only to find that they are now only looking for upperclassmen.

Now, I have to add that this isn’t me being salty towards these companies and their policies; I’m well aware that getting an internship the summer after your freshman year is uncommon. I just wish that I had some kind of set plan for my summer. The third company I heard back from actually offered me the opportunity to set up an interview to see if I would be a good fit for the internship. Of course, I was totally ecstatic, but the company doesn’t offer “advanced placement,” meaning that I have to wait until the beginning of May to contact them again for an interview. I’m extremely grateful that I even heard back from them and that I’ll get my fair shot with an interview, but now is the tough part. The waiting game.

I find that the concept of waiting and living in a kind of unknown, fuzzy cloud is unsettling to not just me, but human beings in general. We like to know exactly what is happening at all times, and we often find comfort in having a general idea of what the future holds. So, when things become vague or foggy, I can definitely tell that I feel more stressed or unsettled.

I’m just in between the lines at this point. I don’t have any set plans, but I do have a lead. It’s not a guarantee, though, so if I don’t get it I’ll be a little stuck. I’m only a freshman, so I know it’s not the biggest deal. Maybe you can relate if you’re also thinking about summer plans. I really do hope I get something at the very least, even if it is taking lunch orders and cleaning closets.