Editor’s note: Katie wrote this before she left Scripps for the summer, but it seems relevant to post now as summer begins. We miss you, Scripps students!
If you’re reading this after May 14, I have already left Scripps College! I’ll go back to school in the fall, of course, but in Germany—it’s strange to think that I won’t come back to California for over a year. I’ll miss all my favorite Village restaurants, the abundance of adorable dogs on campus, not to mention my friends, but seeing Europe, finally, is a whole other adventure.
Although I, like all college students in May, have been a slave to my finals, I also made sure to take the time to finalize my summer plans. After a semester of calling, waiting, e-mailing, and more calling, I finally have the semi-internship I coveted at my hometown’s annual professional golf tournament. The directors of the tournament were gracious enough to allow me to work with them. It took a semester, and there were times when I thought my efforts would end up completely fruitless, but in the end, it worked out. I’ll be quite busy this summer, but I’m also excited—I’ve taken classes, learned how to drive, and done extensive volunteer work, but I still don’t feel confident about my “job” experience.
The tournament will end after the first two weeks of June, but in a turn of events (for me) I have something else lined up. A few weeks ago, I saw an advertisement for a news blog which was seeking interns to write and, potentially, to translate Korean-language articles. I knew my Korean probably wasn’t good enough to do extensive translating, but I decided to give the application a shot—the worst thing that could happen was being told “no”. I sent in my application, and after a week with no response it left my mind. Surprise, surprise—they accepted me! It turns out that I have multiple opportunities lined up for this summer. In January, I assumed I’d be doing nothing by the time I moved out. On paper, I have more on my plate this summer than ever before.
I contribute almost all of my success this semester to writing this blog. Keeping in constant contact with Career Planning & Resources has not only forced me to keep up on my career search, but motivated me to do it for my own well-being. Keeping the World Wide Web updated on my search meant that I needed to keep looking. So, here’s my last advice to anyone looking for jobs or internships: No matter what it is, find a way to keep yourself on track. Keep up a blog, like me, write e-mails to your friends keeping them updated, or even keep a private search diary. If you hold yourself accountable for getting the job done, it will happen.
My other piece of advice is this: Don’t ever, ever give up. I’m a pessimist, and when things go sour, it’s far too easy for me to get down on myself. This company doesn’t want me. If I keep calling, they’ll think I’m a nuisance. If I talk to this person, they’ll think I’m crazy and creepy. Anyone who puts out their information (or, even better, comes to your school in person) is interested in what you can bring to their company. This is something I still have to remind myself. Keep in touch, believe in yourself, and don’t give up.
-Katie