This weeks inspirational career message is inspired by A Cinderella Story, starring the one and only…. drumroll please….Hillary Duff. In this movie, when faced with adversity, she listens to this quote that her father once told her (well technically Babe Ruth said it first, but I’m an avid Lizzie McGuire fan, so you understand my biased motives).

“Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game”

So if you’re not a baseball fan or haven’t seen this film or have no idea how this relates to the struggle of finding summer internships or jobs, let’s ask ourselves what would Hilary Duff do..? (Did I mention I love Lizzie McGuire?)

Weirdest but best tv show opening credits, am I right?

Although it is often scary/frightening/daunting when you apply over and over again to different career opportunities and you can no longer stare at a computer screen or move your fingers across the keyboard, you ought not be discouraged.

Even though there is a chance that you might not hear back from a potential employer or a start-up company you thought was perfect for you, you will never know what the end result will be, if you don’t give it a chance in the first place.

Before Hilary heard this inspirational quote:

The I-can’t-handle-life-right-now pose.

After she understands the importance of giving it her all no matter what:

Ready to play and tackle those internships!

From my experiences of watching this wonderfully indulgent film and being at Scripps for the past two years, I’ve learned that the key to my success is being open to new opportunities, and if it is something that you are passionate about, pursue it no matter the odds.

Often times we are too worried about what might happen or what could end up happening, that we end up loosing sight on what really matters. Whether it be a new volunteer position you are head over heals with or a highly competitive fellowship you’re applying for, try not to get discouraged about these opportunities that seem out of your league.

Who knows? Maybe the internship that you thought you’d never get is the very internship you end up getting for the summer! Your future self (and Hillary) will thank you for just giving it a shot, no matter the result!