No Internship? No Problem: What To Do if You Don’t Have An Internship This Summer
By: Sydney Fiorentino ‘24
As summer is steadily approaching, people might be asking you, “What are your plans for this summer?” A lot of people might say they already have an internship lined up, but if you don’t have one yourself, don’t stress! Whether you were late to the internship application process, or just didn’t land one, there is absolutely no rush! If you got an internship, congratulations! But if you didn’t and don’t know what to do this summer, here are some ideas!
1. Reach out to your professors.
If no companies appealed to what you wanted to do this summer, maybe reach out to your professors! If you are interested in research or a project they are doing, many professors may be looking for assistants or researchers for the summer. Other schools might have fellowship programs as well. It doesn’t hurt to send a quick email to see if there’s anything you can do to help out or if they have anything to pass your way.
2. Pick up a new talent or hobby.
If you don’t feel like doing too much work this summer, you can always find a new hobby or activity! Last summer, mine was walking/hiking and I’d always explore new trails. I’d do this every day and it became a way for me to relax, get fit, and to relieve my anxiety. If you are into DIYing, look up YouTube videos about it and become a master in it! You could knit, make jewelry, customize your sweatshirts, etc. Plus, you’ll come out of this summer with a new skill you can show off to your friends next year.
3. Pick a subject you are interested in and learn about it.
If you want to keep your brain running over the summer, you can take free online courses like Coursera, where you can sign up, attend, and get a certificate for finishing the class. If you don’t want to do a class, you can always read up about a topic you are interested in or teach yourself from YouTube videos. I know I’ll personally be looking into more math topics I’m curious about!
4. Travel.
If you saved up money from the school year, either travel by plane or take a road trip with friends or family! If you are in Los Angeles for the summer, take a trip to Malibu, Santa Barbara, or San Diego! You can also take the Amtrack down to San Diego or Cal Poly Slo if you don’t have a car but want to enjoy the views.
5. Relax.
After a year of school, you may not want to do all that much and that is totally okay! It is great that you want to relax this summer and focus on you, your mental health, and your energy. The school year takes a lot out of us, so go relax, watch tv, and have fun this summer!
Even if everyone around you has an internship, there is no reason to worry because you have five (and probably many more) things to do this summer! If you are working this summer, still remember to take time to yourself and have fun!
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