Over the summer I applied and interned at McCurdy Writing & Marketing. I just finished my sophomore year of college and typically students do not intern until the summer going into their senior year. Depending on the how extensive the internship is will determine how many credits you will receive for the internship.
The reason I wanted to internship the summer before my junior year was to gain more experience in different working environments. By doing more than one internship I get to have the opportunity to intern at a small company as well as a bigger company to see how I will thrive in each environment. Also, the more experience you have in the field-the better.
I was eager to get my feet wet and see what the advertising and marketing world had to offer to me. What if I did not end up liking the field that I am currently studying? If I were headed into my senior year it would be too late to change my major, but if I ended up not liking my field of study now I still have time to change it.
Most majors can be accomplished in four semesters if you have completed all of your generals your first four semesters. I started out as Biology major, switched to Exercise Science, and finally landed on Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Retail Merchandising.
I think there is a stigma around switching majors. When I told one of my friends about my switch of majors the first time she laughed. The second time I told her that I switched she laughed again and told me that it wouldn’t last and that I would keep switching. Did you know most college students switch their majors three to four times?
If you’re a student, don’t get discouraged by what other people tell you. If you take anything away from this, try to find an internship going into your junior year. It will only benefit you. It will either further your experience in your field or let you know that this isn’t your path and you have time to change things.
Another piece of advice I have is that if you find that you don’t have the passion you thought for the field you are in, don’t just quit. It is great that you figured out that this may not be your calling but you don’t just get to pick up and walk away the minute you find this out, you push through and finish what you started.
Emily is a student at Minnesota State University Moorhead.