When I was in college, I thought internships were supposed to provide answers. Answers about what I wanted to do, where I wanted to work, and what my career path was supposed to look like. I treated every opportunity like it needed to perfectly align with some long-term plan I had already mapped out in my head.
Looking back now, I can confidently say I took my internships too seriously. I think that ended up being one of the best things I could have done.
During undergrad, I had two very different internship experiences. One was with a large corporate company where everything was structured, established, and clearly defined. The other was with ZeeMee, a much smaller and faster-moving company where collaboration, adaptability, and initiative were part of the day-to-day culture. At first, I assumed the biggest difference between the two experiences would be the work itself. Instead, the biggest difference was how much I grew.
Internships teach you how to operate
One of the first things I realized during my internships was that professional growth has far less to do with memorizing technical skills and far more to do with learning how to operate in different environments. Some companies hand you a roadmap. Others hand you the keys and trust you to figure things out along the way.
At ZeeMee especially, I learned what it meant to be a self-starter. Because the team was smaller at the time, there was no hiding behind structure or waiting around for someone to tell me exactly what to do next. I had to ask questions, take initiative, and fully immerse myself in the world of sales. At first, that felt intimidating.
Looking back now, it was one of the most valuable experiences I could have had.
At the same time, I never felt like I was navigating it alone. I had support, mentorship, and people who genuinely wanted me to succeed. That balance of ownership and guidance accelerated my growth in ways I didn’t fully appreciate at the time.
The best interns don’t just check the boxes
Going into my internships, I thought being a “good intern” meant doing exactly what was assigned to me. Show up. Complete the work. Attend the meetings. Hit deadlines. While those things absolutely matter, the interns who get the most out of their experience usually go a step further.
One of the things ZeeMee did exceptionally well was giving me the freedom to explore interests outside of my immediate role. Even though I was hired as a sales intern, I had opportunities to collaborate with the data team on projects simply because I expressed interest. I was able to learn how other departments operated, connect with leadership, and gain a more holistic understanding of the company as a whole. That stuck with me.
Instead of feeling like “just an intern,” I felt like my curiosity and ideas genuinely mattered. There was real encouragement to develop a broader skill set and explore areas where I wanted to grow professionally. That completely changed the way I approached work.
“Did I finish the assignment?” slowly became “How can I contribute more meaningfully?” That mindset shift has stayed with me ever since.
Imposter Syndrome is very real
Before my internships, I honestly thought imposter syndrome sounded a little dramatic. Then I experienced it firsthand. There’s something intimidating about entering a professional environment for the first time and realizing your work has real impact. You’re surrounded by experienced professionals while simultaneously trying to convince yourself that you belong there too. I remember questioning whether I was actually ready.
Over time, though, I learned something important: confidence doesn’t appear before you begin. It develops because you begin. ZeeMee played a major role in helping me realize that. From day one, I felt welcomed in a way that genuinely surprised me. People celebrated wins together, rallied around each other during challenges, and cared deeply about one another as people – not just employees. At some point during my internship, I realized I no longer felt like an outsider trying to prove myself. I felt like part of the team.
More importantly, I felt supported by people who wanted to see me succeed. That kind of environment changes people and the word “culture” has taken on a whole new meaning for me.
I never thought I’d end up in sales
If you asked me in college what I wanted to do professionally, sales would not have been anywhere on the list. I was an actuarial math major with minors in business and economics. On paper, my career path looked relatively straightforward. Sales didn’t exactly fit into that vision, and if I’m being honest, I had plenty of assumptions about sales careers. A lot of people around me did too.
Then I landed in a sales internship at ZeeMee and what surprised me most was how different the reality felt compared to the stereotype. It wasn’t just “selling.” It was communication, relationship-building, problem-solving, and understanding people. It was helping institutions connect with students in meaningful ways and learning how to communicate value clearly and authentically. The more immersed I became in the work, the more I realized I genuinely enjoyed it.
That realization completely changed the direction I thought my career would take, and I’m incredibly grateful for that now.
Since then, I’ve come to believe that internships are not always meant to confirm your original plan. Sometimes they reroute you entirely. And honestly, that isn’t failure – it’s growth.
Learning what you don’t like is still progress
I think a lot of students put pressure on internships to immediately validate their future. I certainly did. There’s often an expectation that every internship should somehow provide a final answer about what you’re supposed to do forever. If you don’t instantly fall in love with the work, it can feel like you chose the wrong path. I don’t see it that way anymore.
One of the most valuable outcomes of my internships was learning more about myself – what energizes me, what drains me, what type of environment I thrive in, and what kind of work I genuinely look forward to doing every day. That’s valuable information.
Internships are not just about discovering what you love. They’re also about discovering what doesn’t fit you and having the confidence to pivot when necessary. That realization alone can move your career forward.
What I’d tell any intern today
If I could go back and talk to myself before those internships started, I’d probably say this: Ask more questions than you think you need to. Advocate for yourself. Learn the culture, not just the role. Be coachable. Get involved in areas outside your immediate responsibilities. Maybe most importantly – stop worrying so much about having everything figured out. You do not need to have your entire career mapped out at 22 years old.
Internships are supposed to challenge you, stretch you, and sometimes completely reshape your perspective. The best experiences are usually the ones that teach you something unexpected about yourself. That’s exactly what my experience at ZeeMee did for me.
It gave me room to grow, freedom to explore, and support along the way. It challenged my assumptions, expanded my confidence, and ultimately helped shape the direction of my career. Looking back now, taking my internships “too seriously” shaped my confidence, perspective, and growth more than I ever expected. So maybe it was never “too serious” after all.