How I Turned Internship Rejection into Motivation

I’m usually not someone who lets external opinions shape how I see myself. But when it comes to internships, I’ve let the pressure get to me.

There’s this unspoken (and sometimes spoken) belief that if you’re not on the same path or timeline as everyone else, you’re falling behind. Usually, when I get in my head, the feeling passes quickly and I chalk it up to insecurity. But not this time. This time, it felt real. It was real. Not getting an internship does set you back.

You miss out on connections, networking, and valuable hands-on experience. This time, I had no excuse. I didn’t get an internship last summer, and I didn’t get one this summer either. Last year, I was okay with it. I figured junior year summer was the "right" time anyway. But when I didn’t secure one this year, it hit differently. I felt defeated. Inadequate. Behind.

I tried to comfort myself with thoughts like

“You’re studying abroad in Paris and won’t be back until June, so that limits your options”

“Having study abroad on your resume already says a lot. Employers will see the value.”

But those thoughts turned into anxiety.

“If I can’t get an internship, how will I ever get a job?”

“If I’m not even qualified for an internship, what does that say about my future?”

After a couple of weeks of feeling sorry for myself, I had to be honest. I was lacking. Not because I wasn't smart or capable, but because I wasn’t doing what others were doing. I wasn't networking consistently, following up after interviews, or putting myself out there in the same way my peers were.

That realization lit a fire in me.

I reached out to a girl I admired, a former OU student with an incredible resume. We talked, and she was honest in the best way. She told me she spent an hour on LinkedIn every single day. That’s how she got to where she is now. She didn’t sugarcoat it. Success takes hustle. A lot of it.

So I made a decision. I was going to hustle. I was going to treat finding experience like a job itself.

That week, I started spending an hour on LinkedIn daily. Not just making connections, but messaging people, asking for advice, and setting up calls. I stopped waiting for an opportunity and started creating one.

I secured four interviews that week.

Were they all paid? No. Were they all perfect? No. But they were proof that effort works. I also decided to treat my own business, my bakery, as a legitimate internship. I used ChatGPT to help create a 12-week program by compiling job descriptions and mapping out responsibilities. I’m tracking goals, analytics, and progress like a real internship, because it is one.

Looking back, I was feeling inadequate, and I had a reason to. But I didn’t let that feeling win. I used it.

Now, I may not be on the exact same path as my peers, but I’m building my own, and it’s working. I’m gaining experience, building skills, and proving to myself that I’m capable of more than I thought.

So here’s your sign. If you’re feeling behind, face it. Own it. And then do something about it. No one is coming to save you, especially if you’re not willing to save yourself.

xoxo,

Emma