Throughout my final summer as an undergraduate student I have found that summer is no longer what it once was. While in high school my friends and I spent our days finding ways to get in trouble and would laugh about it after during our ritual sleepovers. Life was pure and simple with little worries of the future. Now, a scheduled coffee date followed by reminiscing and catching up has become the norm. In fact, I’m lucky to even see the majority of my childhood friends whenever I visit my hometown these days. With everybody living in different cities and beginning to take on internships and new jobs, my hometown often feels like a ghost town. While I did not take on an internship this summer, I decided to spend it living in the city I plan to move to upon graduating with the intention to figure out what it is I want to do with my life. Although unemployed and living on my best friend’s couch, I began to realize more about myself and what it is I hope to do by going out and meeting people in the area and exploring my options. However, in the beginning of my summer and even throughout spring semester I felt under pressure to find an internship. Yet for myself it was difficult to find an internship that interested me given I still did not know exactly what I wanted to do as a career. While it seems scary to not have some sort of job or internship when so many other people do, keep in mind the importance to also take the time to try and understand yourself better. If you spend your time doing something that does not interest you simply for the extra credential on a resume then you are not allowing yourself to personally grow. Do research on careers that seem to interest you, look up and try to network with people who are doing amazing things you think you may want to do, and go out and learn what is out there or what sort of job you may even be able to create for yourself! Being busy may make somebody look as though they have their “life together,” however, sometimes taking a step back and reflecting on yourself can lead to a much happier and successful future.
Best wishes to a new year!