After The Internship: Adjusting to College Life (Again)

By RJ Edrolin

Fall semester typically brings an exciting aura into the atmosphere: tailgating, the smell of the street hotdogs after a football game, waiting in long lines at Dulce, joining new clubs, etc. But for those who embarked on a full-time Summer internship, going back to school brings a weird mix of feelings. During the last week of my Summer internship, my team gave me words of wisdom for approaching my senior year like, “have fun,” “live in the moment,” “treasure it!” I took these pieces of advice to heart but internally made a duh face. Of course, I’ll enjoy going back.

But the second I sat down in that freezing lecture hall again, a weird feeling sank in my heart. At first, I thought it was nerves. After all, no matter how used you get to school, everyone always feels like a freshman again on their first day back to school. But I genuinely didn’t want to be back in school anymore. This was obviously just a case of that well-known disease: senioritis. But, this feeling wasn’t something I wanted nor ever expected to have. Sure, most seniors experience a lack of motivation with school in their last year, but for me, I didn’t expect the feeling to nearly fully consume me. 

Put yourself in the shoes of a senior coming back to school after a full-time internship. Yes, there were moments that might’ve sucked during that Summer. For me, I landed my dream internship at Universal Pictures, working in their Digital Marketing market department. I for one, will not miss the bumper-to-bumper traffic after work, or deciphering corporate jargon. But I will miss the work I was doing, the friendships I made, frolicking all over Studio City, and being there during Twisters Glen Powell summer. Most of all though, I miss the financial freedom that working this Summer afforded me. So for me and most seniors, going back to that lecture hall, learning how to do what you already did that summer, yet being told to enjoy every morsel of this moment because you’re “never going to get it back” is confusing, worrying, and exciting. 

So, for my fellow peers who are feeling this way or for any nervous underclassmen reading this, you might be wondering how to deal with this. There’s no one answer to this but I can offer what I’m doing. 

I purposefully didn’t apply to any internships this fall partially because I wanted a break from working. But wait – if I have senioritis already, why am I taking a break this semester? Although this decision seems contradictory, towards the end of my internship, I realized that I not only needed a mental and physical break, but that this also may be the last time I will ever not work. Taking the advice from my team this Summer, I wanted time to enjoy the Fall and to focus on my last few classes. 

Additionally, take people’s advice on how to approach your senior year with a grain of salt as well. Seriously, even take this article with a grain of salt. There are a lot of people out there who tell you to treasure this time because, “you’ll never get it back,” but don’t also feel pressured to enjoy this time of your life. Everyone’s college experience is entirely different and subjective. As I mentioned, working full-time this Summer gave me a lot more financial freedom compared to when I’m in school. As a result, despite working a 9 to 5, my mental health thrived this Summer. But for others, working was a lot more unenjoyable, and they may have been apart from friends. Whether you are itching to rejoin the workforce or excited to be back on-campus, your experiences and feelings are valid. 

Lastly, when I lie in bed in the morning debating if it's worth it or not to show up to lecture that day, I remember that this might be the only chance I have at experiencing a proper senior year. While most underclassmen now won’t relate to this sentiment, for the Class of 2025, the majority of our high school senior year was taken from us. The loss of prom, a real graduation, and having to say goodbye to friends over the phone or safely distanced away from one another are all stains on our high school senior year. It’s why, as a college senior, I have a deeper appreciation for all the opportunities in front of me, whether academically or socially. As cheesy as it sounds, each moment on campus feels like a second chance to reclaim the experiences I wish I had 4 years ago. This year is almost healing in a way, and I want to embrace the last year of my education and undergrad the way I wish 18-year old me had a chance to. 

There is no one way to approach your senior year. But the best way is the one that makes you, and only you, happy. If happiness this senior year is forgetting that you have to work for the rest of your life, then do that. If happiness is itching to work full-time, then it’s okay to be excited for that. And if you’re like me, planning to simultaneously enjoy the end of this chapter of your life yet ready to turn the page, know that you are not alone in handling this strange stage of your life.