June has passed rather quickly, and soon so will July. Summer is notorious for seeming like it’s the shortest season of the year. Although it may feel like you just arrived in the office, soon you’ll be packing up your cubicle. But before you start thinking about all your friends from school and the upcoming year, you have to keep your “head in the game” as my dear friend Zac would advise. Here’s a couple of ways you can stay motivated in your internship and avoid that pesky midway slump.
- Get to know someone new. Most internships pair you up with other workers or interns. Usually you find your niche in a group or one particular “summer best friend”. But maybe there’s one person in the group you haven’t really taken the time to get to know. Maybe something about them immediately turned you off when you first met them and you still haven’t gotten the chance to meet them. Since the end is almost near, you might as well give that person another chance. Who knows what role they could play in your life, maybe a future bridesmaid….or groom? (Don’t take that last part too seriously)
We took a break from research to meet new friends at the local township of Langa. We had a lot of fun learning how to play the drums and xylophone at the arts centre.
2. Treat yourself. As I mentioned in my last post, there’s always time to play after work and there’s also always time to pamper. If you don’t treat your body well, your mind will soon let go as well. Go downtown and treat yourself to a mani-pedi. Or if you want to go all out, look for a cheaper spa to get a massage. Massage or beauty-technician schools like Aveda usually offer great deals and their massages feel just as great as those from professionals!
My best friend and fellow Her Campus blogger, Kelly, and I treated ourselves to a nice dinner downtown trying out a trendy new restaurant, Beluga. It was well worth the splurge and who doesn’t love to dress up?
3. Plan Ahead. If you’re already bored and discontent with your present, then start to think about the future. Make a pros and cons list of what you liked and didn’t like at your internship. Maybe you want to go towards a different concentration? Maybe you want to change your major altogether? There’s time for all this. If you did like your internship, then start looking at ways to keep in contact with your company or how you could work for them long-term. Many interns end up working for that same company when they graduate college.
Because I have enjoyed my summer of research, I have been on the lookout for potential new topics. While visiting the Holocaust Centre, I was fascinated to hear about the number of Holocaust immigrants from Latvia who emigrated to Cape Town. Now all I need to do is find some contacts and a potential source of funding, and I can be back in the Rainbow Nation next year!
Remember, collegiettes, it’s your final month to leave an impression. It’s not how you started, but how you finish.