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After struggling to find my major at Vanderbilt, I needed to find a stellar internship.I spent hours applying to internships and wasted more time doing interviews.I wish I could have focused on college instead of applying to internships.
When I was dropped off in Nashville, Tennessee, to begin my undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University, I was surprised by the feeling of imposter syndrome.
Many of my peers began their introductions by announcing their names, hometowns, and majors. While I obviously knew my name and hometown, I had no idea what my major would be.
To make matters worse, during the first weeks of school, I was exposed to the preprofessional organizations at my college. At the club fair, I learned about many clubs that boasted competitive acceptance rates — some lower than Vanderbilt’s regular-decision acceptance rate.
As someone with no major and no work experience, I worried about my future at Vanderbilt. I knew I had to do two things fast: decide on a major and get experience in professional settings.
During my first year at Vanderbilt, I struggled to find a major
I decided to take a variety of classes as a freshman in the Fall of 2021. I registered for ones that interested me, thinking they could help me figure out my major.
As my peers registered for classes that aligned with their prospective majors, I felt like I was behind. I wanted to take diverse classes to explore different academic paths. I did not want to follow the straight and narrow. At the same time, I worried about landing too far astray.
The second semester of my sophomore year was when I declared my major: public-policy studies. In the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I added a second major: English.
I’d finally decided on my major, but I still felt behind
While I, and many of my peers, had internships for the summer after my sophomore year, people were already lining up their internships for the summer after their junior year — as much as 16 months in advance. That’s because the junior year internship is the most important; it’s your best chance to receive an offer for a full-time position following graduation.
My peers proudly shared their spreadsheets filled with internship opportunities, the timelines to apply, and the statuses of their applications. Since I took so long to figure out my major, I started looking for my all-important Summer 2024 internship late. People were already boasting about their 2024 summer-internship decision.
Applying for a summer internship was time-consuming
I started to apply in April, yet I felt that certain doors were already closed because of the timeline. From April to July of my sophomore year, I applied to at least three dozen internships.
I felt like I was working an unpaid part-time job to land a summer internship.
During the application process, I participated in programs that prepped students for internship opportunities. One such program was a full day, and it took place during my classes. Because of this, I ended up bringing my computer to my class with the virtual program taking place, quickly explained the situation to my professors, and participated in both class and the call.
This situation, and others like it, made me question what the best option was for a college student. Should I have missed class, or should I have missed an internship opportunity?
I watched one of my friends skip numerous classes to take interviews, and I saw how stressed many of my peers were.
When summer started, I continued virtual interviewing, learning how important it was to remove my childhood stuffed animals from the windowsill. I even bought a pantsuit to look more professional.
Throughout the summer, I went through the motions for several internship opportunities. One consisted of five interviews, a case study, and reference checks. Others challenged me on questions that seemed beyond the scope of a rising junior’s knowledge.
I ultimately found the ‘just right’ internship for me
After many interviews, I learned a few weeks later that I was selected for a summer 2024 internship. This internship matches my strengths and career interests; I was ecstatic and relieved.
Now I’m back on campus, and I’ve decided to take a breather. I’m focusing on my six classes, cultivating friendships, and concentrating on the present.
I still see many of my peers searching for their 2024 summer internship. One of my friends said he worked on seven internship applications from a library every day recently.
As I watch LinkedIn become an updated timeline of everyone’s professional opportunities, I question whether we will ever be able to focus on campus life, college courses, and intellectual discussions — given the pressures of how “success” has been defined.