August, September, then somehow it reaches February.
The month of searching and gathering.
The month consumed with edits and storytelling.
The month consumed with interview preparations and decisions about my future career.
Freshman year we are told to adapt, to be comfortable,
We are told to branch out and try new things!
However, August turns to September, then somehow it reaches February.
The month we prepare for our majors,
The month we can decide and declare our greatest passions,
The month we realize that college moves in a blink of an eye.
Before we know it, it’s our freshman summer.
Even though I couldn’t wait for freshman year to end, I closed my eyes and I’m a sophomore.
Now, as my sophomore year comes to a close, I’ve had to gather a list of possible internships around the country.
To think about living truly alone for the first time in my life.
As I look towards this sophomore summer, a summer that can set help decide my career,
I smile, I grow anxious, and I pray.
I pray that I get an interview,
I pray that the internship I get will confirm my passions,
I pray it will be a summer filled with opportunities and growth.
Yet, it’s February and I can’t help thinking that six months ago my only concern was adjusting to college and COVID-19. But college and classes lead to the real world — a world I’ve come to realize is closer than I can imagine. So how am I preparing for the summer before my sophomore year? By searching, gathering and applying. By editing and storytelling. As freshmen, we are all told it’s okay not to know what we want to do with our lives or our careers, but the truth is when sophomore year comes around, internships are extremely important to get professional experience. Sometimes this experience may not be what we originally saw ourselves doing, but I’ve learned that sometimes it’s more important to learn about who we are, how we work and how we handle challenges instead of succumbing to pressure. As much as I am stressed to press the submit button on every internship application, I think about who I’ll be after my sophomore summer, who I’ll be when I’m working a real job surrounded by mentors who understand the career and the goals I’ve set. So, even though August turned to September, which turned into February, I’m grateful and prepared. Prepared to grow into the businesswoman I’d want to look up to.
MiC Columnist Simone Roberts can be reached at sirobert@umich.edu.