Stereotyping The Five Types Of Summer Interns

By: Adrianne Marie (University of Miami)

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This summer I’ve had the opportunity to participate in a summer journalism program in Washington, DC. Part of the program is a seminar while the other portion involves having an internship. There are over 20 of us in the program, almost all of us in different locations. But when you think about it, there are only 5 different “types” of internships.

1. “I Have No Life!” (The Non-Stop Intern)

Whenever you see this intern, they are rushing to get on the metro. Lugging a packed briefcase or multiple bags of camera equipment, it looks like nothing can stand in their way. Except, maybe lack of sleep!

2. “Got Anything For Me To Do Yet?” (The Occasional Facebook Intern)

This intern asks for something to do every five minutes, hoping for any scraps to make the time go by faster. In between being shot down this intern will check all the websites they know… Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, The Campus Socialite (of course), and maybe be adventurous and check up on the news. And when this intern FINALLY gets something to do, they are so excited they finish it in 5 minutes and the cycle repeats.

3. “Guess What I Did Today!?” (The Social Scene Intern)

This intern is the envy of the group. Whether they got their work published or met someone famous in a private corporate gathering, it seems like every day they have something interesting to report on.

4. “I Party All Week And Work On The Weekend, Huh?” (The Topsy-Turvy Intern)

This intern is very rare, but they do exist. Their internship organization has things a little backwards. They can be found at the pool during the week but M.I.A. (missing in action) over the weekend when everyone wants to go out and let loose.

5. “Get Me The Hell Out Of Here!” (The This-Is-Definitely-Not-What-I-Signed-Up-For Intern)

This poor intern just cannot catch a break. They work at a so-called “great” organization, but they’re not doing what they had originally thought they would be. Instead of wowing the world with their skills, they are packaging boxes and making shipping labels. And no matter how hard they try to even be like “The Occasional Facebook Intern,” they’re handed more boxes and more labels. A few words for the wise, if you end up being this intern, get out and get out fast!

I’m sure there are more types of internships, but these seem to be the most frequently encountered. And no matter what type internship you find yourself in, don’t forget to enjoy your summer and have some fun!

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