You’ve accepted your summer internship: congratulations! Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you connect the dots from the end of the semester to the start of your internship.
- Check In With Your Supervisor: Confirm all details of your start date and location of your internship, tech needs, dress code and outstanding paperwork. Feel free to request a quick phone call or video chat if you need to clarify anything.
- Determine Your Basic Needs for the Summer: This is the who, what, when, where, why of the planning process. Taking this inventory will help you determine what information you still need to seek out and what details you still need to resolve.
- Who else am I going to be with this summer? Are you living with or near family and friends or maybe other Amherst students are also interning at the same organization or in the same region? Who might be a part of your local support network?
- What do I need for my internship? Will you need your own laptop and access to reliable wifi? Do you need to dress up, even if working remotely? Do you need to up your skills in Excel or get recertified in CPR? If you’re working with minors, do you need to complete your CORI pre-check? What financial needs do you have during this time, and does your current opportunity meet these financial needs?
- Where is my internship? Remote or in person? If it’s in person, is this a place you know or going to for the first time? Do you need housing? If your internship is in person, are you comfortable traveling there via public transportation? What other opportunities (professional, personal, social etc.) might you want to take advantage of wherever you will be?
- When is my internship? Does the duration of your internship impact any summer vacation plans you may have with friends or family and might this impact a summer rental if you are living away from home? Have you communicated with your supervisor about your vacation schedule?
- Why am I doing all this? Take time to acknowledge how terrific it is to be pursuing summer opportunities and take pride in these accomplishments. Allow yourself to get excited about the summer!
- Make a Budget: Try to work backwards when budgeting: how much money do you need to save by the end of the summer and how much are you getting paid? Subtract your savings number from your stipend or salary number. This amount is what you can spend this summer. Next, determine your fixed monthly expenses like rent, transportation, cell phone bill, and utilities like internet. Then, figure out your necessary expenses that could have fluctuating budgets, like groceries. Lastly, consider optional expenses, like eating out costs, subscription services, and other kinds of shopping. You can and should budget in fun and self-care over the summer. New to budgeting? Use our Houston Program budgeting spreadsheet tool. Looking for more info? This article and template from NerdWallet can help, too.
- Communicate With Your Network: Reach out to family, friends, classmates, and your greater Amherst community if you are seeking regional connections and/or housing. Don’t forget that connecting with students from other universities or colleges through housing Facebook groups can be a way to find an affordable, trustworthy sublet.
- Plan Your Travel: How are you getting from the airport to where you’ll be living? Are you shipping anything? Do you need to store any of your belongings anywhere? If you have healthcare needs during the summer, do you need to research any facilities (hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, etc.) if you are living away from home?
Do you have questions about any aspects of the internship preparation process? Contact the Houston Program team; we’re here to support you! internships@amherst.edu
