By junior or senior year, you’ll probably have an internship or two under your belt. Unless you’re a super freshman/sophomore, then by all means, go you! Internships are beyond vital for your college experience – but I won’t get into much detail about why, because that’s not what this post is about. Instead, this is about what to do when you acquire said internship.

You might have thought that actually landing the internship and getting past the interview and application were the hard parts, correct? Well, unfortunately, it only gets harder. Unless you’re interning during school breaks – balancing it out with your academics, social life, possible part-time job, etc. can be extremely difficult. Not impossible, just difficult. However, if you follow these pointers then you’ll probably end up just fine.

First, it’s important to make sure that if you plan on interning during the semester, you set aside a day or two for said internship. The last thing you want to do is be running from lectures to your internship and back to campus all in one day. If you want to get the most out of your internship experience – which you should – then take it seriously and pay attention to it. Do not half-ass it.

If you really need to take x amount of credits and can’t free up a day – then pick a day out of the week and make that your triple class day. It’ll be long and tough, but you’ll feel so accomplished at the end. Hard work really does pay off. Obviously, do not go overboard and beyond your capabilities, but do challenge yourself. Here’s the bright side, you can add time management skills to your resume.

Once your schedule is set, make sure you are not taking your internship home with you. Yes, it’s great to go beyond expectations and really commit to something if it’s in your capacity. However, if you don’t have the extra time to do anything extra for your internship outside the office, then that’s totally fine. Don’t sweat it. Instead, make sure you are setting aside time everyday where you can debrief the day and give yourself a mental and physical break. It’s all about moderation… and prioritization!

While interning, do not forget about your academics. They are just as important as that real-world (and sometimes credit required) experience – if not more. That is also why communication is necessary for success. If you feel like the workload and responsibilities are becoming overwhelming and not doable for you, talk to someone that can help. Start with your supervisor at your internship – communicate how adjusting one or two things can really benefit your experience and make your work more impactful. Don’t be afraid to bring these things up – it’s all a part of the process of entering into adulthood.

Be grateful for the experience and make the most out of it. Internships can help you kick-start or completely change your career path. My thoughts are with you all as I am also in the same boat. Let’s do this, setters!