The crossroad of the first summer: Is this the right internship for me?
Hello Everyone!
My name is Alisson Amaral, Babson Global Scholars, class of 2021. This will be my first post in the internship category, and the reason of why I took so long to write something was that I wanted to start my blogging experience by answering a question that I have been wondering for a while: Was this the right internship for me?
Before starting the summer season, I was facing a hard choice, just like many other students: to which internship should I go? I had received four major offers, all of them were extremely unique and exciting. The first one was an internship in Angola, where I would be joining an investment group. The second one was an internship in Shanghai, through one of the Babson programs; I would be both interning and taking classes in China. The third one was one in Brazil, my homeland, at Ambev the biggest beer company in the country, where I would be interning in the supply chain and operations team. Finally, the fourth one was at “Sistema Vida”, back into my hometown, Fortaleza, where I wouldn’t have a clear position; I would be helping with sales, technology, and business development, but that is the beauty of working on a startup – you do anything possible to help the team.
You have probably noticed already which internship I chose, but yeah, it was the one back home. When you think about freshman year, you will probably remember the main struggle when it comes to finding an internship: which area should I intern at? Well, if you already have an area of interest in mind that is great, but for those who don’t, don’t worry, it is fine. Choosing a topic of interest is something really difficult, like it or not, you will be working on this area for the next decades. This is why my recommendation is: take your time and explore as much as possible. If you see yourself in the next summer, having to face the same decision as I did, don’t be afraid of choosing the internship that has more flexibility, because when you learn about different topics, it will be easier for you to find yourself. Remember: the more you explore, the more you will learn about yourself and your own goals, and that is how you become a successful person.