@homerdog I agree with elena13 in that there are of course some students who find internships for summer after freshman year but many who do not. You are correct that many employers only seek older students. My older daughter found that to be true and she ended up interning only as a rising junior and as a rising senior and working regular summer jobs other than those two summers. Her first internship employer provided housing, so that was easy. The second internship employer did not–so that was challenging. Having said that, she was not at all disadvantaged by only interning for those two summers.
My younger kid (D19) has an internship for this summer, but she was fortunate in that she already had two internships in high school. Not sure how successful she would have been in getting an internship as a rising sophomore without having had the prior experience. She found that when she went to the fall career fair at her university, that employers in her preferred field were mainly seeking older students.
Now my D17 is another story and she still hasn’t had an internship. I know it’s harder since she’s an English major, but her lack of interest in staying in New York for the summer has probably hurt her. Fingers crossed for one of the Turner/CNN internships coming through.
Yes, @3SailAway - it was very frustrating and seems so unnecessary and dangerous to lose that much sleep, especially during midterm time. Oh well he got through it. And like you, I had a great sorority experience and am still doing girls trips with them 30 years later. We’re planning on pestering my son next fall when we head to Nashville!
This is another situation for which it is worthwhile tapping into the alumni network. Have your S check whether any Chicago area Bowdoin alumni know of any available jobs or internships (or any alumni in other areas). It may produce at least some leads.
@MWolf For sure that’s the plan. He has a list of Bowdoin alums in Chicago but it’s going to take time to do well. He wants to research their companies a little and be able to write a decent email to each of the ones he chooses. I’m afraid perfectionism is kicking in. Plus, he has so little time and feels like he wants to do this right - only wants to reach out to alums in just the right way.
He’s got a lot going on with academics right now too. He’ll be home in a week and I think he’ll just have to wait until then to focus on this internship search. I think part of the issue, too, is that he doesn’t have specific qualifications since he’s not a comp sci or engineering major. Doesn’t have any sort of “business experience” so he’s really just looking to find something interesting to him so he can start narrowing down what he might be interested in, but that’s not really what employers want!
So excited - D19 is coming home for a quick visit this weekend. This week was Mardi Gras and the kids didn’t have school Monday & Tuesday. As you can imagine this means they basically had way too much fun for about 5 days straight and they are exhausted. Apparently it is a “thing” for lots of the kids to head home the weekend after Mardi Gras to recover. D was not planning on coming home since we will see her in March when we visit over our spring break. Then she found out most of her friends are leaving and the few staying have their sorority initiation weekend so will be busy and she asked to come home too.
She doesn’t know anything about dorms for next year yet and has not thought too hard about summer jobs or internships. We will probably talk a little about it this weekend even though all she wants to do is sit on the beach!
We saw DD last weekend for her play. Such a relief for her to have that over. Now today she is driving 3 hours to her sister’s apartment for the weekend. I am mildly concerned that she will be going through the city at around 3:30-4:00. She has driven there twice but only on weekends when there’s much less traffic. It’s better than 5:00 at least. She’ll be at our house for Sunday afternoon. It’s been several weeks, she’s ready to see the cats
Monday is the deadline for the summer job she’s applied to and I hope she’ll hear back shortly after!
My D is currently on the megabus home. She’s coming to see her sister’s final high school ballet on Sunday, and take advantage of my willingness to dye her hair while she’s here. She went blonde for Christmas and is ready to be back to her unicorn self now. We are really gonna miss the cheap transportation to/from her school for stuff like this once we move this summer. The bus is way cheaper even than me driving to her (she’s about 4 hours away)- it’s like $25 round trip. Next year there will only be Christmas for a visit most likely, due to costs, which makes me really sad.
My D did a 13 week hospital internship last summer. It was close to a university town and there was student housing that they rent out by the week in the summer.
Curious if anyone whose kids fly has changed or is thinking of changing plans to fly home for spring break. We’re not, but I know some people are. Trying to find the happy medium between panic and complacent.
(I admit to being somewhat relieved that D19’s flights are booked southwest, making cancel/change easier.)
@SJ2727 - plans haven’t changed but I’m a bit concerned naturally. D17 is flying out of NYC on Friday and I had wondered if she should try to get a mask from student health. However, everything I have read/see indicates that wouldn’t be helpful and it’s the sick people who should be wearing masks.
@elena13 yeah I understand hand washing is more the important thing, and will make sure D19 has a small bottle of hand sanitizer too for when she can’t wash properly.
As of now, D is still flying to Florida this Friday. Not aware of her school giving out masks, or hand sanitizer, etc.
Unfortunately, millions of teens/young adults on spring break is probably going to hasten the spread of Covid-19…even though that age group isn’t at very high risk, they will come into contact with those who are.
S19 is taking Amtrak home from NYC in two weeks but I’m not worried about it as he’s not in a high risk group but I’ve reminded him constantly about handwashing, etc. And while I’m not concerned yet, Dh travels for work quite a bit. He just got back this morning from a trip to Oregon and San Francisco (with a connecting flight in Detroit). He leaves in a week for London. So far his company isn’t canceling any travel, but he could easily cancel his London trip. He goes once a month, but can work remotely if necessary.
D17 isn’t flying home for spring break. She has the last two years,but she’s staying this year, mainly b/c she has only been back at school for 5 weeks. She was studying abroad in the fall semester. She and her friends are doing some day trip/short overnights for spring break-she’s in southern CA so plenty to do. I have to say I’m relieved she did her study abroad semester in the fall. For a variety of reasons, I tried to convince her to go in spring instead but thankfully she didn’t listen to me. Her school’s program is still running (Madrid), but I’m sure they are limiting travel around Europe.
Someone D19 knows was just brought back to campus from her semester in Italy and isn’t sure how she’ll graduate on time now. D was just turned down for a summer program in Australia, but I think there’s a chance that will get canceled anyway. We’re traveling together over Spring Break but I’m nervous those plans could fall through, too. Fingers crossed.
DH had a business trip to Asia cancelled a few weeks ago. We’re not cancelling any domestic travel, have a few plane and train trips lined up through summer, and I am being optimistic that my London trip for summer will not need to be postponed.
We aren’t changing anything. If we were going abroad, I would re-think it mostly because I wouldn’t want to get stuck somewhere that enacted new travel restrictions while I was there. S is flying home on Friday. We are going on spring break to VA and NC with D21 to visit colleges at the end of the month. I have multiple friends who are doctors and really think, at least for those of us in the states, this is being blown out of proportion by the media. Wash your hands is still the best advice. They say the masks are really only good for those who are already infected so that they don’t spread it.
Bowdoin has not sent anything out to parents. I googled the virus and Bowdoin and the only action they’ve taken so far is to call back from from level 3 countries. I believe that includes Italy but I’m not sure which others.
Haverford sent an email to all students saying they’re monitoring the outbreak, and though there are no cases in the state, health services will see students without the usual fees for the remainder of the year.
Midd has sent out a letter to parents about coronavirus. It suspended overseas programs in China back in January, and will not support any summer travel to China or South Korea by students or employees. It is monitoring the other overseas programs and will likely expand restrictions to other level 3 countries.
My S19 is flying to visit my D17 at her school in LA in two weeks, and before that , D17 is going to Hawaii. I am a little concerned about the close contact of flying, and well, LAX. I’ve given them both a lecture on hand washing, hand sanitizing and avoiding anyone coughing and sneezing, and let them know that it’s not just about getting sick, its about the quarantine possibility or travel blocks which would obviously throw a wrench into anyone’s life! @elena13 I have also read that for a mask to really protect you, it has to be surgical grade and completely fitted properly, and that yes, it is better if the sick people wear them.
My S19’s school, Elon, sent out a message stating that they have a plan, gave some links to CDC resources, gave basic hygiene tips and info on the cancelling of Italy study abroad and other study abroad programs are being monitored. I’m much less worried about Elon NC than I am LA, but then sure enough, Elon son is heading to LA so so much for that!
Myself, my S23 and my husband are continuing our break plans to go ski and yes, fly. I’m not panicking, but I do think the virus will be spreading across the US. RIght now I’m just feeling glad that none of my college kids are on study abroad or have it planned for Fall 2020 either. And we just aren’t planning our summer vacation; will wait and see what happens over the next couple of months.
