Time to Grow Up... Maybe?

As I prepare to go back to school (I leave in less than a week, where did this vacation go?) I've also been searching out summer internships. I was told last year that the more you get your name out there, the better off you are in this industry so I decided to get a head start on the search so that I'd hopefully know earlier if I was going to go home or somewhere else for the summer. 

However, once again, life surprised me.

As I was looking at internships, I restumbled upon one that I've looked at a few times over the last few years and have toyed around with applying for. The only "downfall" (if you could call it that) is that it is a year long, meaning I would have to make a choice on what I wanted to do when it came to graduating.

I had been pretty locked into the idea of getting my minor, which meant spending an extra semester at WT, which really isn't that long if you think about it. But as I weighed the pros and cons of staying for a minor vs. getting a dream internship, the internship won out. I mean, a minor is great to get and teaches you a ton but that internship gives you on the job experience that you just can't get in the classroom.

While I would absolutely love to get this internship, I also know that with how crazy competitive this one (and other ones) are, there is a major chance that if I did graduate, I would be out of any options (hello world, nice to meet you head on). So as a back up plan, I decided that I'd ask my adviser if I could sneak in a class that we are only supposed to take the semester we graduate. That way if I am stuck high and dry, I can get my minor next semester and if I get the internship, I can graduate. 

Win/win, right?

While it sounds good in theory, there are some bumps along the road (such as not having an official word on if I can take that class yet with only about a week left until the semester starts) that I've decided to plan for just in case. I've pretty much made the decision that if I'm  told "no, you can't take the class before the semester you graduate" that I will be graduating in May. I don't want to give up an opportunity to get an internship like this just because I need one more class and don't have it due to two plans. 

So instead, I have also put out feelers for other similar internships that I would love to have as well (that also fall almost exactly into my goals. And if I don't get any of those internships as well and decide to graduate in May? Well I guess it will be time to enter the "real world" for a year before I start grad school. Not going to lie, that really scares me since I've been in school since I can remember (the year off doesn't count since I knew for a fact that I was going on to my four-year school). The good news is that I am certain I'm going to grad school (as long as some high paying, amazing job doesn't come along) so my stress level isn't too high (other than the stress that comes with filling out applications and my Fulbright). However, the thought of taking the year "off" between my bachelors and grad degrees and either sinking or swimming since I need a job or internship is a scary, scary thought.

But if we don't jump in than we'll never know if we can swim, right?