Internship! That’s what summers are about! I need to gain experience! I should spend my time productively! Is that not what each undergraduate thinks during those blessed vacations we get every year?
INTROSPECTION
Internship! That’s what summers are about! I need to gain experience! I should spend my time productively! Is that not what each undergraduate thinks during those blessed vacations we get every year? Hence, begins the process of applying, once July starts. The whole squad applies, and everyone gets an interview call ... and gets selected. But you, my friend, unfortunately didn’t even get that God forsaken call and guess what, you get to know about it from your friends after they’ve joined.
Does it feel like you’ve been ditched by God or your friends or by that darn organization? Sure it does! Now you cannot be called an intern, and looking at your friends’ statuses makes you feel as if they’re reaching milestones that you aimed for! While you stay at home and brood, they are the ones going to have all the experience they need to put up on their CV and get a job. That leaves you with nothing to do, except lying around, brooding about your bad luck.
With all those who could not bag an internship this summer, unlike their lucky friends, I would like to share that I, myself, suffered, this year. All my friends have procured internships at various institutions while I sit here typing this, pouring my heart out, feeling self-doubt, trying to figure out where I lack. I want to know what is wrong with me.
After a lot of soul searching, I decided to give myself a break. Instead of succumbing to self-pity, I started looking into things I could do while staying at home.
Stop feeling miserable
For starters stop feeling sorry for yourself, as Sherlock says: “It is what it is!” There is literally nothing you can do about it. Go into the “good vibes only” mood seems unlikely but still make an effort because you need to preserve your sanity.
Make yourself useful
Get up from that bed and start looking around. You know you’re trying to avoid Ammi’s eye, so she cannot ask you to do this chore or the other. She’s an old woman, has spent her life doing your stuff, so do what she says. Let’s just face it: if she sees you idling about, it’s a fact she is going to remember something that only you can do and if you don’t comply ... well, you’re in for a rather long, teary eyed conversation or some unpleasant remarks. By the end of this conversation, you’ll start wishing that you’d done what she had asked you to. So try and avoid that.
Man to man conversations
We might deny this but we secretly crave those man to man conversations with our Abba jees. Who exactly is not running the race to make an impression on Abba jee and what better way than to bond over the nine o’clock bulletin. Abba jees really start to approve you when you are fully informed about current affairs and they love, I repeat, they LOVE giving their opinions on how the country is being run. On a serious note, once you start watching the news it’s really engaging so nothing monotonous is coming your way as long as you want to stay interested.
Watch some good movies
Seriously, people, good movies and seasons have always existed; it’s we who need to move over rom-com and the fast and furious sort. I understand that people have certain genres that they like but let’s try to get enlightened and for once let’s try and ignore what pleases us. You have a wide range to choose from such as Forrest Gump, The Shawshank Redemption, A Beautiful Mind, The King’s Speech, 127 hours, and so many more. Then there are some really edifying seasons and if you watch them, trust me, you’ll feel like a brainy, wholesome person. Some of them include The Tudors, The Crown, Victoria, Vikings, etc. Better yet, go watch those documentaries, they are so mind-boggling. You will have the time of your life and well you can always show-off your command over history and your sharp intellect.
Grab a book
Read that book you’ve wanted to read for a long time. Reading is always going to benefit you, even if it’s in a small way. You might learn a new word, your horizons might broaden, and that perfect rendezvous with your favourite character would bowl you over. There is always this possibility that you’re not an avid reader but everyone is interested in one book or another, so go grab that book. If someone is of the view that they don’t like to read there is no such thing; as J.K Rowling says, “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book!” You have plenty of time, go find your book.
Find your hidden talent
Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times when one only remembers to turn on the light. Everyone is good at something even if it is the most trivial thing. You know you are good at something: be it painting, dancing, writing, sketching, etc. and anybody who says otherwise is wrong. Point taken? Maybe you’re unaware of what you can excel at the moment, but you have all the time in the world to figure that out. You are talented. And, God is The Helper, so seek and you shall find.
This is experience speaking. You’re probably feeling like the underdog as all your endeavours have not been appreciated enough and there are all these reasons to make you feel gloomy about your existence. Trying the above things will help you to get through two months of inactivity; doing all this worked for me, so hopefully it will work for you as well. Before I stop ranting, just one more thing; I feel that abilities and choices come hand in hand so go out there and make this world your territory. Because, you have everything that it takes to make it your own.
