It’s that time of the year when everyone’s asking about summer plans. By now, we all spew that scripted answer — a summer job, studying abroad, going back home or even staying in Gainesville. Then there’s perhaps the most visible breed: those who’ve snagged a prestigious summer internship.
Whether it’s working in Sen. Bill Nelson’s D.C. office, interning for UNICEF in Austria or teaching English in Italy, the honor of these achievements garners more than 50 “likes” on Facebook and inevitably ends up at the top of my news feed. Great. Usually, it’s those people who are so on top of their s--t that they’ve been applying since October — as if their 4.0s and multi-page resumes aren’t frustrating enough.
I can’t help but internally roll my eyes as I offer my congratulations to them. And let’s be honest, it’s mostly out of my own jealousy. The more impressive, the more annoyed I get with my lack of summer plans.
Like most people seeking something to occupy the next three months, I obligatorily attached my resume and cover letter to 30 or more internships. I was rejected from most.
The few interviews I had resulted in nothing substantial. I’m now relying on the last few — the scraps of my ambition.
Or there’s always Plan B: staying at home with nothing to do but stare at a wall. No thanks.
I got to thinking, though. What is an internship anyway? Why do I want one so badly? Why do I need one so badly?
The current culture of our university system has promoted this notion that climbing the ladder of academic success means snagging the most impressive summer plans. It’s as if the way you fill these next three months is some indicator of future achievement.
And, well, it kind of is. The news is filled with profiles of rich and famous people who began their careers as interns with their respective companies. Often, a summer internship means the networking and connections necessary for future job opportunities, which is perhaps why prestigious summer plans are so sought after.
These “sought after” summer occupations fall into three distinct categories: the paid internships, the unpaid internship and the pay-for-it-yourself internship. But ultimately, the substance of all of these jobs amounts to doing the same things: the mundane office tasks that no other employee wants to do.
The paid internship is the rarest breed, and only a select few students achieve profitability during the summer months. Usually seen in the form of a stipend, the payment from these opportunities often stems from private companies with money to throw away — Wells Fargo, General Electric Co., Exxon Mobil Corp., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The usual suspects.
Then there’s the unpaid internship, which often takes the form of a mid-tier company based in your hometown. Students often find themselves sustained by the shelter and food of their parents while commuting to local companies to intern as office workers in law firms, power companies and dental offices.
Finally, the most common summertime occupation takes the form of the internship in which you pay for the privilege of working — in a way. These unpaid jobs require the student to move to a different city, and the living expenses of food, housing and transportation amount to monetary deficits. The usual culprits for these opportunities are often cash-strapped government agencies in Washington, D.C., or advertising firms in New York City willing to take advantage of students looking to “network.”
I don’t mean to bash internships. I’m looking just as hard as anyone — hopefully for something on Capitol Hill. It’s just funny how hard everyone tries, how much expectation goes into the experience, and how often the results are disappointing. In the end, though, if I do get my internship on Capitol Hill, I fully expect 50-plus “likes” on Facebook.
Garrett Bruno is a political science sophomore at UF. His column appears on Thursdays.
