Internacation!

What happens to a student’s life from March to May ??

Exams! Results!! New Class! and finally VACATIONS!! No studies, no morning alarms, no rebuke, hey it’s the fun-time!! We all enjoy vacations!

But wait. If vacation is a cake that all of us enjoy, then, where is that cherry that only a few lucky ones can relish?

Today, I plan on making your cake, the vacations even more flavorsome by adding a cherry to it. Yes, this summer, you brace yourself up for double fun with Internacation!

Are you perplexed? No no! it's not a vocabulary lesson from Mr. Shashi Tharoor.

Internacation is simply making your vacations more classier with Internships.

Dear readers, let’s go for an internacation!

When I shared this brilliant idea with my dearest brother, he shouted, “Mom, Dad let’s go to Agra!” Mom: Why? Do you want to visit Taj Mahal? Brother: No, we need to admit this crazy girl to the largest mental hospital there. 
Me: What, why!

Brother: Why should I miss all the fun of the vacations and go for an internship. That is the only time I have for myself!!

My brother is a person who follows the first law of motion during summer vacations i.e. a body at rest will remain at rest unless acted upon by an external force, by the way, that external force, yes, you guessed it right, is MOM.

I don't want to say it but in a way he is right, because when we hear the word internship, the picture that appears in our mind is working in an office, in front of the computer, doing a 9 to 5 job. Well! Trust me, this is not true at all. 

Internship helps in discovering more about ourselves and what our goals are. We may come to know that we enjoy working for people or want to own a business of our own. Basically, it is like the trailer of a movie, gives you a sneak peek of the work environment.  

College students, as part of their curriculum, have to do internships to gain practical knowledge, but for school students like us, an internship is like a cherry, no strings attached. We are free to select any company, any domain to work in, because the main aim is to invest in a meaningful pursuit and gain crucial skills while we are in our formative years. We could intern as a student journalist in a leading newspaper or go for a summer internship in Architecture or finance. The possibilities and options are endless and, what can be a better time than summer vacations when we have so much freedom and spare time?

Talking about no strings attached, my friend during one of the summer vacations did a job as a kitchen staff in the cafeteria. The small stint helped her develop time management, money management, prioritizing, communication, team-working and people’s skills. She had gotten to know about her strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes which proved really helpful when she started applying for internships more related to her personal interests. She met new people in the cafeteria and learnt to live and grow with them. Wow so much to gain! Isn't it wonderful?

So, what are we all waiting for? Let us use the platform of internships for shaping the destiny we are destined to have. 

You know, even the Indian education policy has finally given the required heed to the importance of internships. Even official boards have made internships mandatory to become eligible for graduation. All this is happening because the benefits of an internship are becoming apparent.

I am a part of an organisation called Gavels club which is a real life example of the same. Gavels Club is an offshoot of Toastmasters International which is a place where we can obtain the experience we need. Starting from presentation skills, leadership skills, global outreach, self-confidence to gaining a competitive advantage in the workplace. Here we not only develop our professional skills, but also the life skills which might seem as small changes but make a big transformation in the long run. 

Contrary to my brother, I believe in the second law of motion i.e. for a body to accelerate, an external force needs to act on it. In the similar way, I am always in search of a force that can accelerate me in my life and take me to newer heights, and I do this by doing INTERNACATION with different organizations. Last year, I did an internship with a firm Inspirit where I learnt the much needed skill of today, Game development. This year, I was an intern at the Youth Policy collective, a student-led think tank where I learnt how to draft proposals, write research papers, etc. Here, I am getting the opportunity to work with driven individuals who care deeply about the world that we are leaving for the future generations. If you look closely, these are some skills I might have got the opportunity to learn only in my college years, but here I am, learning them  in my formative years.

And the best thing I forgot to mention - with internships we get a good amount of stipend. Even I got one, from which I bought a pair of elegant footwear for myself.

Long story short, next time in your summer break or whenever you get an opportunity, consider taking up a meaningful internship and reaching your potential. As it is said, learning by doing is more valuable than learning through texts.

Now, this cake with the cherry on the top tastes even more delicious. Would you like to grab the cherry?