Emotions everyone has before their first internship

With school out, exams over, and May coming to the end, summer vacation has finally arrived. For some of us, summer vacation comes with a summer internship, giving us a glimpse of the working world and adulthood for the first time.

The first summer internship always brings a whirlwind of emotions. What do I wear? What if I screw up? Will I get a return offer for the following summer? Having an internship for the first time can definitely bring a lot of questions about what to expect.

Here’s some of the emotions many people, including myself, experience before their first summer internship.

Unbelievable relief 

After about 100 applications submitted (and probably 99 rejection e-mails), and the stress of comparing myself to half of my peers who had their summer plans finalized by December, I finally receive the call offering the role I wanted the most.

Flooded with happiness and relief that some company actually feels I’m a qualified candidate, I finally feel that maybe, just maybe, I have my life together for once.

Fear 

After being filled with relief, fear finally begins to set in.

I start studying the job description looking for any clues about what it is that you could possibly be doing this summer. Am I going to screw up my boss’s Starbucks order (hopefully I won’t even have the mundane task of getting my boss Starbucks)? Will I have to ask a million stupid questions? What does “business casual” even mean?

The anxiety nightmares about screwing up in every possible way and getting fired (is it even possible to be fired from a summer internship?) will start to set in.

But having fear about your first summer internship is completely normal. You will mess up, probably not just once, but a hundred times. The entire first week will probably be terrifying – remember your first day of high school? Just remember that internships are a learning experience and there’s nothing to be afraid of.

By the end of the summer, you’ll have grown in leaps and bounds since your first day.

Excitement

Despite all the fear and anxiety having a summer internship for the first time brings, I’m also filled with excitement.

Getting your first glimpse into the working world and life beyond college – the first taste of adulthood; it’s exhilarating to say the least. Commuting for the first time, experiencing apartment life, truly being on your own, and especially living in an entirely new place for the first time opens the door to truly grow as a person and allow for the transition from being a kid to being an adult.

I’m more than ready to learn a lot and gain valuable experience that will benefit for the years to come. I’m definitely looking to make the most of my summer internship and keep myself open to a wealth of new experiences both in and out of the workplace.

With all the emotions a first summer internship brings, at the end of the this the time to learn a lot about a prospective industry to enter, as well as learn a lot about yourself in the process. Getting work experience allows you to figure out what you love and what you’d prefer not to do ever again.

Overall, get ready to ask all of the questions you can possibly think of, take-away essential skills you will be able to use in all of your future endeavors, and most of all, immerse yourself fully in the experience.