What Your Summer Internship Says About You

Angelica Gajewski ‘26

Executive Bits and Pieces Editor

As summer approaches, you may have noticed your LinkedIn filling up with “Thrilled to announce…” posts from people you haven’t seen since syllabus week. If you’re a freshman or sophomore, this can be a confusing and anxiety-riddled time, but don’t worry. The Tripod has developed a patented guide that decodes what each type of summer internship really means and, most importantly, what it prepares you for. 

State Representative / Congressperson / Senator’s Office

This is super cool and impressive at any other college, but because you go to Trinity, it’s a bit basic. You can differentiate yourself here by being extra nonchalant about it or by working for a rep that’s particularly evil. The girl next to you in American Pub Pol interned for Kamala Harris’s office? Well, you’ve single-handedly gotten Marjorie Taylor Greene banned from X again, talk about initiative.

8/10: Prepares you to donate to the college and serve as a graduation keynote speaker in 20 years.

Non-Profit

You’re a really good person, and don’t worry, because of this internship, we all know that. You likely come from money, but quite frankly, you are spiritually really in touch with your disenfranchised side. Ultimately, you will probably be doing a lot of good this summer, but be prepared for that “good” to come at the price of double the burnout. Godspeed.

7/10: Prepares you to have a fridge stocked with kombucha and an SSRI prescription.

Bulge Bracket Bank

If you understand what the title of this entry means, then you probably have one of these. Either no one in your family understands anything about this other than you “going to New York,” or your dad personally made the call, nothing in between, at a place like Trin. I don’t want to offend you here because you’ll likely have a scary amount of power in twenty years, so yay! Good job, and please don’t become evil enough that it affects me!

10/10: Prepares you to own a Goldendoodle and over fifteen zip-up vests.

Museum

You’re either an Art History major or one of your parents was. The majority of prep for this internship was shopping at Eileen Fisher and finding just the right amount of highlights so that they consistently look five weeks old. You’ll have a chill summer and come back to campus with hundreds of meticulously staged digital camera pics to prove it.

8/10: Prepares you to aura farm in a pair of clogs and a crop wide-leg jean. 

Defense Contractor

You’re a true changemaker. It’s because of you that the brave American patriots who design and build our bringers of freedom can continue to do the work and make a substantive impact wherever freedom is threatened. You may think you’re just getting coffee for a Palantir engineer, but really you’re bringing freedom to the rest of our globe. Your commitment to human rights is downright admirable and the Trinity community is thrilled you’ll be the one supporting the munitions we send to Israel, not some loser from Wesleyan. 

10/10: Prepares you to become a FOrg mentor.