Editorial: The internship panic

Internship application season is upon us, and with that comes a wave of stress for college students everywhere.

The pressure to secure the perfect summer internship is immense, and for many, it can feel like their worth is defined by whether or not they land positions at big-name companies.

Students scrabble to secure internships for months — maybe even years — in advance, and those who haven’t secured an internship often feel the weight of uncertainty, constantly wondering: What am I doing wrong?

Internship FOMO (fear of missing out) is real at Lehigh, and the competition for internships has reached a boiling point. 

From hearing peers boast about their upcoming internships in class to being inundated by students proudly announcing their summer roles on LinkedIn, the sense of panic is real. 

It often seems like everyone has their career mapped out, except for you.

It’s almost as if there’s a race everyone is running and you missed the starting buzzer.

For first-generation college students, navigating this unspoken competition can be even more daunting. Without established networks or family guidance, the process feels more like stumbling through a maze than following a straightforward path.

This anxiety can lead to a destructive mindset — one where students measure their value and potential based on the company name they’ll work for over the summer and those without an internship feel as though they’re falling behind.

And the assumption you should have a prepped and polished answer to the inevitable question, “So, what are you doing this summer?” only adds more stress.

The truth is, while internships can be valuable, the race to land the perfect one is unhealthy, and slowing to a walk or even opting out entirely it isn’t the end of the world.

Your summer experience, while important, does not define your entire future. It’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle.

Something that often gets overlooked in the frantic rush for internships is the fact that there are many ways to gain valuable career (and life) experience beyond a corporate or technical internship.

Volunteering, freelance work or part-time jobs can provide you with important skills that aren’t always taught in an office environment.

Communication, adaptability, teamwork and problem-solving are vital skills that can be learned elsewhere, and may even be easier to attain in a different role.  

Some internships — especially for first-time interns — offer little structure and responsbility. Often, interns spend their first summer running errands, making coffee for coworkers, completing mundane tasks or, worse of all, sitting around hoping their boss with give them something worthwhile to do.

Though this is a generalization, as some low-level interns complete truly remarkable work and gain life-long skills, it’s based in truth. 

Alternate opportunities may be just as — if not more — beneficial to one’s future. For instance, working at a local nonprofit or helping run a small business might not seem as glamorous as your peers interning at a tech giant, but the lessons you can learn in those environments are just as valuable.

Moreover, working as a server in a restaurant, a receptionist or a camp counselor can provide invaluable day-to-day skills that will help you both in future jobs and in life. 

You might find that the people skills or leadership abilities you gain in these roles set you apart in ways that a typical internship might not.

It’s also important to remember that, as a college student, you’re still young.

You’re at the beginning of your professional career, and it’s okay to not have the next 30 years of your life figured out at the ripe age of 18. Or 19, 20, 21 or 22 (or even older).

So, if you haven’t secured your dream internship yet, don’t panic.

Focus on what you can do. Consider volunteering, getting a part-time gig or even starting a side project.

Your summer doesn’t need to be defined by a big-name company to be rewarding. Bear in mind that what matters most is that you’re learning and growing. 

When that wave of stress inevitably hits you, remember that everyone’s journey looks different.