Every year, as summer approaches the only thing I hear people talking about is 'oh I'm applying to this company'.

Let’s be honest, the idea of spending your summer working when you could be resting, traveling, or just existin sounds exhausting. But every year, students everywhere throw themselves into internships, chasing the promise of “experience.”

The summer internship craze is real and even I am not immune because as I write this, I'm currently interning at a firm. I remember when there was a time where it wasn't as common and doing an internship was a guarantee that one would be ahead of their peers. But now, it's more like a chore to ensure that you don't fall behind.

There are some people who will tell you their internship changed their life, they made connections, gained confidence, and learned more in two months than in two semesters. Others will tell you they spent the entire time grabbimg lunch, photocopying documents or replying to emails no one read all for no pay. And they came out of it more confused than when they started.

So naturally, the question pops up: Are summer internships actually worth it?The answer to this really depends on who you ask and their personal experiences.

Image Credit: Shridhar Gupta from Unsplash

Here's what may make internships worthwhile

Now, internships aren't really all that bad, even if you don't get paid it is still an amazing opportunity to get real life experience in your field of interest. Aside from that, there other benefits from summer internships .

For example, You get a glimpse of the real world. A good internship ahould throw you into environments where things aren’t sugar-coated. This way, one is able to learn how to send professional emails, handle awkward situations, meet deadlines, and sometimes how to deal with toxic coworkers. It’s the kind of learning that happens outside the classroom.

They also help you figure things out. If a person is unsure about the kind of path they intend to take an internship would show the person exactly what that will look like. It gives a glimpse of your possible future and allows you to make up your mind on the path to take.

Think you want to be a lawyer? Intern at a firm and see how it feels. Dreaming of fashion design? Try working behind the scenes. Even a bad experience tells you something valuable: that this path might not be for you and that’s okay.

They also open doors. Internships allow you to make connections that you may not have been able to make on your own. Sometimes the people you meet during an internship become mentors or future employers.

Sometimes just having that experience on your CV makes a difference in a job interview. It’s not always fair, but it’s how the system works.

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Here’s what may make them not worth it

Despite all that I mentioned above, there are people who still argue that it is glorified exploitation disguised as experience and honestly, I don't entirely disagree.

For one, Unpaid work is not always fair. The reality is, not everyone can afford to work for free. Considering only the transport fees to get to your place of work every day, when summed up, it is a lot of money.

Although, there are some firms that do provide for a transportation allowance, this isnt always the case. And when the work you’re doing doesn’t teach you anything valuable, It starts to feel like you’re being taken advantage of.

It is also important to consider that not every internship is intentional.Some organizations take interns because it looks good on paper, not because they have anything to offer you. You end up doing random errands, sitting around bored (like me), or being “trained” by people who don’t even know your name.

We should ensure to never forget the big picture which is that, the summer holidays is also a time to rest, grow personally, or explore other interests.

If an internship is going to burn you out or keep you from doing something you truly care about, is it really worth it?

To that, it's impossible for me to give a clear cut answer.

I can't possibly say every internship you get will be worthwhile or that it won't. If you're able to land an opportunity in a professional environment that connects you with the right people and gives you valuable insight then you should absolutely go for it.

This is why i believe in conducting proper research on whatever firm you're applying to. If you can't find an internship opportunity that is guaranteed to be teach you what you need to know then my advise to you would be to not bother and enjoy your summer.