Claire Peaceman
How I Made Lemonade of My Summer
Claire Peaceman
Summer 2015
I have spent most of my time recently making lemonade from the lemons life has thrown my way. I spent almost every day of the spring semester searching for my perfect DC internship opportunity. I had every job posting website bookmarked on my laptop, I called in favors from contacts I had in Washington, and I spoke frequently with Chelsea and Walter to strategize. I ended up applying to nearly 50 different internship positions. And still, I boarded the plane to Washington in late May with no set placement lined up for myself.
Source: Stevecurtin.com
As a naturally anxious person, this stressed me out to no end. I worried I would end up interning somewhere I did not like or I would be bored all day or, worst of all, I would never find an internship. After all, one of the main reasons that I chose to study abroad in Washington was to have a meaningful internship.
During the first week in Washington, I secured an internship with a boutique political consulting firm. I was thrilled because this was a field that I definitely wanted exposure to, and I thought this internship would be a great way to learn more about the industry. The only downside was that it is a one-person start-up firm that does not have many clients yet, especially because it is not an election year. This translated to me having very little work to do. After a few weeks of feeling unfulfilled with my short two day a week internship, I started to get frustrated and desired for something more.
Chelsea and Walter both suggested that I start applying to other part-time internship positions to help fill my schedule. At first, I was apprehensive to re-enter the application phase, especially because it was already mid-June. I reached out to every organization I could find that sounded even mildly appealing. I worked hard to get interviews and to impress employers with my experience and ability to work hard. After another frustrating search for the right internship, I was lucky enough to earn an opportunity at the National Conference of Democratic Mayors.
While this wasn’t the exact position that I set my sights on in March, when I first started this process, I have been extremely happy. I am so lucky that I will be leaving this summer with great experience under my belt from two very different organizations. I have quickly learned how to best work under different supervisors, how to connect myself and my passions to my work, and most importantly, how to make lemonade.
Claire Peaceman is a rising senior studying history and political science.
