Internships: The New College Acceptances
As the fall term winds down and students finish finals, a familiar pressure settles in. For many, the stress doesn’t end with the last exam or class. It simply shifts. Internships move to the center of students’ minds, becoming the next piece in a long line of academic and professional milestones on the board of Life. Career platforms like Handshake, Indeed, and LinkedIn become daily scrolls, each listing another opportunity, another deadline, another chance to move towards career goals. But the search itself isn’t what students fear most.
For many college students, the internship hunt reflects a process they thought they had left behind. The cycle of acceptance and rejection of college applications in high school returns in a new form. Applications. Portfolios. Resumes. Interviews. Steps that require students to repeatedly present their worth to strangers, hoping someone sees potential in them. It’s a process that can feel both life changing and deeply personal.
A study of over 1,000 internship applicants found that students overwhelmingly viewed the internship application process negatively, reporting high levels of personal stress, fear of not matching with an internship, and compounded anxieties that shaped how they viewed their careers and professional training. The psychological strain was significant enough that many participants described the process as one of the worst parts of their training (Parent, 2016).
As a college student myself, I understand the internship search burnout firsthand. There are, however, ways to navigate this period with more clarity and less self-imposed pressure.
One of the most important reminders is that an internship decision is not a measure of value. Rejections are typically about timing, qualifications, or limited openings, not a reflection of character or potential. In a process now driven by algorithms and applicant pools that sometimes exceed thousands, silence from employers says little about a student’s abilities.
Past students also emphasize the importance of setting boundaries around the search. Creating a schedule for applications, rather than treating it as an endless chore. Even small routines, like limiting search time to an hour or focusing on one application at a time, can make the process more manageable, and feel like less of a burnout (Crates, 2022).
Preparation can provide additional help with the stress factor. Advisors recommend updating resumes early, assembling a simple digital portfolio, and seeking feedback before application season jumpscares you. Having these materials ready can reduce last-minute panic and provide a sense of peace during the process.
Having a support system can ease the pain of the process as well. Advisors, professors, campus career teams, and peers who have completed internships can offer guidance. Many students overlook these resources, despite how much they can educate. And even if reaching out seems stressful to you, I promise you won’t regret it.
For students, the internship search may feel like another chapter in a long book of academic pressure, but it doesn’t have to feel like the anxiety of college admissions again. Approaching the process with realistic expectations, solid preparation, and self-confidence can shift the experience from overwhelming to motivating. And when the right opportunity arrives, students can recognize it and meet it with confidence rather than exhaustion.
If you are lost on where to look for help at the University of Oregon for internships and career advice, head to the academic advising link here: https://advising.uoregon.edu/
Please feel free to reach out to professors, staff, alumni, classmates, and others in your network as well! Your university is here to support you!
Internship Resources
Handshake. (n.d.). Handshake. https://joinhandshake.com/
Indeed. (n.d.). Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/?from=IaButtonServiceDaemon&from=gnav-util-homepage
LinkedIn. (n.d.). LinkedIn. https://api.linkedin.com/login
Sources
Parent, M. C., Bradstreet, T. C., Wood, M., Ameen, E., & Callahan, J. L. (2016). “The worst experience of my life”: The internship crisis and its impact on students. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 72(7), 714–742. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26991243/ PubMed
Crates, C. (2022). 5 tips for cultivating your mental health while searching for that first postgrad job. Her Campus. https://www.hercampus.com/school/texas/5-tips-for-cultivating-your-mental-health-while-searching-for-that-first-postgrad-job/ Her Campus
Main Image Pinterest. (n.d.). Pin. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/154177987439460940/
About the author: Helen Bouchard is an undergraduate student studying Journalism and minoring in Global Studies at the University of Oregon. Her writing explores identity, culture, and the connections that shape human experience. She aims to use her voice to tell meaningful stories that inspire empathy and understanding, and she’s excited to join Align Magazine in creating unique and thoughtful blogs that spark conversation and connection.
Connect with her on LinkedIn or Instagram @hmbouchard