--- title: Internships can change your life...or keep you small and limited description: Internships will be the foundation for your early career. Here I break down my mistakes and successes so you can learn from my internship experiences. image: https://theindependencelab.com/hubfs/woman-walking-in-nyc-to-internship.png --- [![image (58)](https://theindependencelab.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image%20(58).png?width=195&height=70&name=image%20(58).png "image (58)")](https://theindependencelab.com/) - Offerings - [Interview Frameworks Mini Kit](https://theindependencelab.com/interviewminikit) - [Mock Interview](https://theindependencelab.com/mock-interview) - Free Resources - [Senior Year Job Search Timeline](https://theindependencelab.com/jobsearchtimeline) - [Life Resume Template](https://theindependencelab.com/liferesumetemplate) - [Networking Rubric](https://theindependencelab.com/networking) - [Interview Warm-Up Worksheet](https://theindependencelab.com/interviewwarmup) - [Interview Checklist](https://theindependencelab.com/master-your-first-job-interview-checklist) - [First Job Survival Kit](https://theindependencelab.com/first-job-toolkit) - [Post-Grad Glow Up](https://theindependencelab.com/post-grad-glow-up-guide) - [Emotional Wellness Cheat Sheet](https://theindependencelab.com/mental-wellness-cheat-sheet) - [401k Checklist](https://theindependencelab.com/401k) - [Books I Recommend + Notes](https://theindependencelab.com/22-books) - [Archive](https://theindependencelab.com/blog) - [About](https://theindependencelab.com/about) - [Press](https://theindependencelab.com/press) [Get the Weekly Drop](https://theindependencelab.com/subscribe) ![woman walking in nyc to internship](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/woman-walking-in-nyc-to-internship.png) [< Go back to blog](https://theindependencelab.com/blog) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) [Emotional Intelligence](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/emotional-intelligence) # Internships can change your life...or keep you small and limited If you're in your sophomore, junior or senior year of college, the stress of landing the perfect internship can be overwhelming. More make up If you're in your sophomore, junior or senior year of college, the stress of landing the perfect internship can be [overwhelming.](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/start-small) And for good reason. It's easy to underrepresent your value because [you haven't learned how to talk about your life experience](https://theindependencelab.com/liferesumetemplate). And the basics of applying are simply outside the syllabus you've been provided. Things just don't seem as easy as they should be. But internships will be the foundation for your early career so it's important to get it right. I nearly took an internship I knew I would hate. No windows. Little creativity. Missing the spark I was looking for. Then a stroke of luck hit and my life completely changed course. Let's take a look at what happened and what you can learn from my internship experiences. ## **The Local Magazine Internship** In my gut, I knew if I took the internship at a small local magazine, my life would remain small and local, which is not what I wanted. I had dreams of moving to New York City and living a big life. But the problem was I waited too long to apply. No one explicitly told me, "It's time to apply for internships," and it was now the middle of senior year. I had wrongly assumed that you apply for internships the same way you apply for jobs: two weeks before it's time to start. But I could not have been further from the truth. Classmates of mine had started [applying what seemed like years in advance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbFYm0C-n9U) (likely during their junior years) and now were boasting internships at Google, *Vogue* and other epic brands. I felt behind. I felt embarrassed. I kept asking myself, "Why not me? Was I not good enough?" I was panicking. About to take a role at a tiny magazine simply because I needed the credits to graduate and I honestly felt like I had no other option. And that would have been OK. Except that your internship has the power to propel your career, and I knew it. Lots of people got full-time offers from the organizations where they interned. That meant their lives would keep getting bigger and mine would likely stay right where I was. ## **The Dream In Front of Me** One day, I got a call out of nowhere: someone from my past had recommended me to her contact at a NYC magazine house and she was calling to see if I was interested. Yes, OMG yes! I was interested. That interview led to [a moment of self-regulation that completely changed my life.](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/bombed-my-first-job-interview-job-interview-tips) The interviewer ended up creating a brand new internship for me. I had done it...landed myself an internship in the big city. It was almost like the universe had heard my plea and presented me with a second chance. I can't take credit for creating the opportunity, but I can take credit for earning that spot. And when I showed up, I worked hard. I showcased my hard skills and my emotional intelligence. Three weeks into the internship, I was the intern (out of about 13) who was chosen for a full-time job offer. That internship had literally changed my life. I went from seeing a small and sparkless career to a big life full of potential in a new world. ## **Internship Lessons So You Don't Miss Out Like I Almost Did** You don't have to wait on a stroke of luck like I did. You can make the most of your internship by following these lessons learned: **1. Start before you feel ready**. Start looking into your dream roles *sophomore* year. See what is available. You can always do more than one internship if you are lucky enough to land them. **2. Ask for what you want.** Don't settle. I almost did, and I know I would have regretted it for the rest of my life. **3. Trust your gut**. You will know when something is right or wrong for you. Listen and course-correct when necessary. Never give up on where you are meant to be. Even when you are behind, there is always a way forward. Don't sell yourself short. I'm cheering for you. > ###### [And if you want to turn, "I don't have enough experience," into a story that gets you the role, get my free life resume template here.](https://theindependencelab.com/liferesumetemplate)     ## Latest articles There is so much more to learn on your journey to your independent life. Check out all our articles here. [![woman worrying she does not have enough experience](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/woman%20worrying%20she%20does%20not%20have%20enough%20experience.png)](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/dont-have-the-years-of-experience-required-do-these-5-things-to-get-ahead) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) ### **Don't have the years of experience required? Do these 5 things to get ahead** Written by Brianne Rush, on Sep 10, 2026, 9:00:00 AM A client came to me recently feeling stuck. Read more [![](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/woman%20looking%20at%20Viral%20LinkedIn%20Post.png)](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/my-viral-post-makes-interviewing-a-little-bit-easier) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) ### **My viral post makes interviewing a little bit easier** Written by Brianne Rush, on Sep 3, 2026, 9:00:02 AM One of my LinkedIn posts recently went viral. It provided so much value people were sharing it like crazy. Read more [![my-first-interview](https://47169197.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/47169197/Financial%20Independence-1.webp)](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/bombed-my-first-job-interview-job-interview-tips) [Career Growth](https://theindependencelab.com/blog/tag/career-growth) ### **I Thought I Bombed My First Job Interview + 3 Job Interview Tips** Written by Brianne Rush, on Aug 27, 2026, 9:00:01 AM Ever had a moment where you felt your dream slipping away right before your eyes? That was me, sitting at my college ... 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