“What are you summer plans?”
“Do you have any interviews coming up?”
“Where are you interning this summer?”
These questions linger in the back of my mind and only seem to eat away at me. All of a sudden, the internship search has transitioned to a soul search. Why, though? I mean, really, what is the big deal? Of course, family pressures to succeed and the responsibility to pay rent may play a role, but there’s definitely more to it. According to Gordon Mathews, an Anthropology professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, students’ lives’ meanings are most generally tied to dreams of the future. Also, according to this recent Wall Street Journal article,
“The knowledge economy gives the educated young an unprecedented opportunity to think about work in personal terms. They are looking not just for jobs but for ‘careers’… They expect their careers to give shape to their identity. For today’s pre-adults, ‘what you do’ is almost synonymous with ‘who you are’ …”
Combine this emphasis on the future and continuous search for identity with today’s challenging and competitive job market, and there’s no question as to why the internship stresses build up. Furthermore, with articles titled “Sure-Fire Ways to Land your Dream Internship,” strewn all over the Internet, the pressures never seem to subside until we secure that internship. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not bashing the internship process and culture by any means, I only want to bring up the point that the search doesn’t have to entirely consume us.
With all that being said, here are a few activities that can get your mind off the internship search temporarily, as well as benefit you mentally and socially!
1. Watch a movie
“Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood.” – Walt Disney
Either staying in to watch a movie with roommates or going out to a movie theater serves as a nice break from the daily “go-go-go” internship and class routine; as a way to socially stimulate the mind; and, depending on the movie, put some daily stresses into perspective. Self Magazine even featured an article highlighting success secrets in movies like The Social Network, Secretariat and Conviction. Check out The Online Film Community’s Top 100 Films and Empire’s 201 Greatest Movies of All Time to find inspiration for your next film break.
2. Pick a hobby
“Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their LIVES. I want to make my life — not just my job — the best it can be. The rest will work itself out.” – Reese Witherspoon
Did you know that “one of the easiest and perhaps most enjoyable ways of fostering good mental health is through hobbies?” The key here is to get good at something. Find an activity that makes you happy, and that you can devote a little bit of time to each week, and get good at it. Not only can a hobby boost your self-esteem, but it will challenge you to think and problem-solve in different ways. Who knows, you may also uncover a new passion to pursue somewhere along your career path! Some examples of hobbies include yoga, surfing, photography, sewing and more.
3. Drink a cup of tea
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” – C.S. Lewis
Whenever I’m stressed from the internship search (or anything else for that matter), a big cup of green tea always calms me down. Tea contains plenty of antioxidants, protects you against certain diseases, and contains zero calories! There’s no need for a mental health day; pair this comforting beverage with a good book, a magazine or newspaper article, and you’re set! If you’re not sure on what to read, check out this list on 100 Essential Reads for the Lifelong Learner.
4. Keep a journal
“With every project you do, you bring out a part of yourself, and it seems to be quite a good way of expanding a person.”– Kate Beckinsale
I don’t mean just any other daily journal here. Throughout this internship search season, I decided to keep a journal recording my experiences in interviews and what I learned from each one. I walk away from interviews with a good idea of which questions I bombed, which questions I rocked and which ones I had no idea how to answer. I write down all of these thoughts as well as some advice for if I were ever given a second opportunity to do the interview. This journal helps me more and more with each interview, and because I write down everything from the interview, I’m not afterwards constantly thinking about it!
If you’re reading this and have already secured a spring or summer internship, congratulations! If not, don’t let the internship search turn into a soul search. Step back, take a quick breather and get your mind off the internship search today!
Sources:
Film cameras (photo): Tumblr, http://feverishdream.tumblr.com/post/3365564515
Tea (photo): Tumblr, http://theteamaster.tumblr.com/post/2939193260/natalie-portman-and-scarlet-johansen-drinking-tea