It’s hard, I know. But, you’ll get there.

By Jeremiah Marcelo

To those students who are worried, stressed, confused and lost, I understand. I’m Jeremiah and I started the year back in September with high hopes and a set of goals I was determined to achieve. I was determined to make the most out of everything that this year threw at me. Everything was going well until COVID-19 walked in through the door. I’m not going to sugarcoat anything because the reality is, this pandemic has turned the world upside down. I know that there are a lot of you out there who, just like me, were excited and motivated to grab our internships and start the next chapter in our lives.

Applying for internships is a lot of work. I know, I’ve done it. The countless hours networking, the hundreds of emails sent out that may not even get a reply, all of the effort that gets put into the applications - it’s a lot. After COVID-19 really set in, postings started to get taken down, interviews were cancelled and offers were rescinded. That’s when the anxiety and stress started to mount. I thought to myself, “Will I even get an internship? Or will I even graduate?” I felt so lost.

I spoke to a close friend who just like us, was also looking for an internship. She told me that she was still looking regardless of the circumstances. That’s when I thought, “You can do nothing, or you can do something.” I chose to do something.

I was fortunate to have a placement advisor who despite the overwhelming concerns and comments from students and parents, gave her time and effort to connect the students in my program with placement opportunities from all over. I was someone who was determined to get an internship in brand strategy or account services, but that’s not how the story turned out. Through one of those postings, I got this internship as a Social Media Intern with Humber College. In times like these, we have to challenge ourselves to maybe take a step out of our comfort zone. Think of it as expanding your scope and capitalizing on opportunities that normally wouldn’t have been on your radar. Because of this situation, I now have the chance to be hands-on and produce meaningful work, telling the stories of students during this challenging time. This internship has given me the opportunity to bring hope and positivity in a bleak situation, one I didn’t see coming.

The world is going through a change, and change is never easy. There will be bumps in the road and some of them will seem like they only get larger the more you try to get over them. But push forward, and don’t forget the work you put in to get to this point. What I’m trying to get across here is that now is not the time to give up. It’s hard, I know. But, you’ll get there. Opportunities for internships still exist, but like the rest of the world, they are changing. This is the time where we need to adapt and persevere. So dig deep into your network, and get creative! As a wise person once said, “You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take.”