As someone who has experienced both school organizations and internships, I’m here to spill the tea on which one’s your best bet.

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When it comes to college life, people cherish their experiences in school organizations as the best days of their academic years. Whether it’s forging friendships, working with like-minded mentors, or getting experience in fields you enjoy, there’s no denying the significance of these moments. But wait, what about internships? While they are often the first chance for students to experience the “real world”, internships sometimes play second fiddle, often labeled as mere prerequisites for those students on the brink of grad-waiting. But there’s no denying there benefits, which leads to some students being torn between investing their time and extra effort in school organizations or internships.

As someone who has experienced both school organizations and internships, I can attest to the advantages of both, but with internships coming out as a winner to bring to one’s personal and professional development. Here’s why I think so.

Career Clarity

At a young age, I knew I had always wanted to become a part of the beauty industry. All the steps I took were directed toward a college program, internship, and a career path that aligned with my skill set and long-term goals. However, when you’re presented with all of these post-college choices, it’s hard to know what will truly work for you. If you’re a current communication major, you could pursue roles as a producer, director, writer, or other career roles—the possibilities are limitless. The same applies to every college program, and this is where internships come into the picture.

Internships serve as a testing ground for your career aspirations. They allow you to explore your chosen field firsthand, helping you determine whether it aligns with your long-term goals and interests. On the other hand, school organizations, while valuable in their own right, may not provide the same depth of insight into your future career path.

Welcome to the Real World

In relation to the first part, I could have pursued a career as an advertiser or a magazine writer in the beauty industry, and I wouldn’t have gained career clarity if I hadn’t completed three internships that provided me with real-world experiences. This is something that school organizations often lack because they tend to align with your current course.

While school organizations offer extracurricular involvement, they often can’t replicate the day-to-day responsibilities you’ll encounter in a professional setting. After interning in advertising, editorial, and public relations, I had the opportunity to work with people and projects that went beyond the typical ‘requirements’ on campus. That said, I also realized the truths behind those three industries, gaining insight into their inner workings, the challenges they face, and the vital roles they play in the larger landscape.

Soft Skills vs. Skills Specific to Your Career Choice

While school organizations offer you the chance to hone skill sets, it can be limiting all while demanding the same time and extra effort. For example, when I entered the school magazine, I learned about article writing, sentence structure, and all that. However, it was during my role as an editorial intern that I truly realized the significance of establishing a particular voice that connects with the audience, and the essential skill of managing time sensitive stories in the world of editorial work.

Adding to that, internships allow you to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios. In comparison to soft skills like leadership, teamwork, and time management, you will gain practical skills, deepen your understanding of your field, and develop problem-solving abilities that can’t be fully replicated in a school organization or classroom.

Nail Networking Opportunities

I remember applying to two more internships and securing my dream position, all thanks to my first internship. After attending events, photoshoots, and seminars assigned by my mentor, I had the chance to meet industry professionals and make new friends who became essential stepping stones in shaping the person and career woman I am today.

In contrast with school organizations, where you’re surrounded by the same professors and peers, internships offer a once-in-a-lifetime chance to connect with more people who share the same passions, interests, and skills that you’ll need in the next chapter of your career. Imagine meeting your potential colleagues and employers even before you graduate from college?

Practical Experiences Enhance That Resume

While adding a long list of extracurricular activities and school organizations to your resume is common, recruiters often place a higher emphasis on practical experiences, particularly when you lack real-world work experience. Internships provide tangible proof of your skill set and capabilities. Including internships on your resume not only showcases your practical experience and industry knowledge but also demonstrates your commitment to your chosen career path. This commitment can be a crucial factor in persuading potential employers during interviews.

Make Money!

While not all internship programs are paid, many are. Earning money while gaining hands-on experience can help cover educational expenses and allowance. This financial compensation is a significant advantage over most school organizations, which are usually unpaid.

Again, not all internship programs are paid. However, note that the company should shoulder all out-of-office tasks and transportation.

Ready to Start Monday?

Internships often lead to full-time offers. By demonstrating your skills and dedication during an internship, you increase your chances of getting absorbed by the same organization once you graduate. This transition from intern to employee is a significant kick-start to your career. If not, internships serve as assets during interviews and when considering other offers. To this day, I’m eternally grateful to the mentors, industry people, and life lessons I gained with my internships—I wouldn’t be here without them.

Continue Reading: R101: 10 UST Organizations That We’re Eyeing At This Year’s Recruitment Fair

Playing board games was one of the highlights of my senior year because of all the fun and friendship involved amidst the chaos of college.

Related: 5 Things I Want to Tell My 18-Year Old Self Before She Starts College

During lockdown, my college friends and I, like many people, found a love for games we could play over Discord calls. When we went back to the campus for our senior year last year, we wanted to emulate or even improve on the fun we had.

So, during the breaks between classes, we headed over to our university library, the Rizal Library at the Ateneo de Manila University, where we could borrow board and card games like you would borrow a book, and play them in the communal learning area in the building.

Those were some of my favorite moments in college. We played everything from historical card game Timeline to word game Train of Thought, mystery board game Clue to speed-matching card game Spot It!

We played on library tables and cafeteria tables, study desks and picnic blankets. I genuinely believe playing those games got me through my senior year—they curbed my stress and anxiety, got me to relax, boosted my serotonin, and generally just made me happy (and not just because I liked to win).

A SPACE TO PAUSE, TO BREATHE

via GIPHY

Even though my schedule wasn’t as crazy as it was during freshman year, senior year was stressful. My friends and I worried about class projects with questionable groupmates, a year-long thesis, excruciating lectures, post-graduation plans, clearances and grad shoots and Latin honors.

We also had to face the fact that this was our last ever year in college, and for many, in school altogether. It was crazy, nostalgic, and often overwhelming.

So every game we played, every laugh we shared, was like taking a breath. Amidst the stress of thesis and lectures and projects, sitting down on those chairs and opening beat-up, worn-down boxes of games, trying to figure out how to play it, and getting competitive with my friends was nothing short of therapeutic.

TAKING BACK WHAT WAS TAKEN

I came into my senior year with the mindset that I wasn’t going to spend all my time with my nose buried in readings or hunched over my laptop. I planned to take it all in, savor everything I’ve missed, and spend more time with friends.

Seeing other people sitting around tables in the library play their own board games and get shushed by the library guard because they were being too rowdy gave me a sense of joy. People were having fun, spending time together, and learning as they go—and it was wonderful.

Never has a time come where people collectively realized what we’ve taken for granted. So something as simple as arguing over how to play the game right, or gloating about winning three games in a row, could be something special. I was terrible at speed games and logic games, better at word games and trivia, but I loved every game because I was learning, I was grounded, and I was with people I’ve formed strong bonds with.

I loved it because we were there, present, in moments of respite and joy that made us feel like we could power through all the papers and the possibilities of the future.

STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS

One time, after we took over a table and loudly played a game of Train of Thought, a student from another table asked us what game we were playing and where they could get it. It was a simple interaction, but looking back, it’s so cool to think that someone else thought that what we were doing was fun or interesting, and that there was a possibility they’d play it with their friends, too.

Clearly and inherently, board games bring people together. It’s not childish or nerdy. There’s a certain magic in thinking together, competing with each other, and doing something fun. I learned about how my friends play certain games, heard about their memories with certain games, and figured things out with them. I powered through senior year because most of the days on campus, one of us in the barkada would ask, “Laro tayo?” and we’d head on over to the library and pick out games to play.

We never got to play everything we wanted to. But hopefully other people get to. Hopefully those games in the library don’t collect dust, the shelves overflow with new ones, and the boxes get worn down. Hopefully libraries and tables are always filled with dice and cards and laughter. Because sometimes, it really is just the little things that get us to keep going. They build up, get us excited about life, and get us to find and hope for little glimmers of good in every day.

Continue Reading: What Are Glimmers? The Concept That Can Help Us Find Hope in the Dark Days

Don’t we all wish we could’ve done some things differently?

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In all honesty, I think my 18-year-old self should give me some advice. She still has some light in her eyes. I truly embody the Taylor Swift lyric “How can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?” and I wonder what my 18-year-old self would think of me now. But with time comes learning, and while past is past, I still wish I could reassure my younger self that everything would be alright.

At 18 I was on my last year of high school, about to enter my dream program at my dream university, so excited at all the new that was about to happen.

Well, all this “new” came at me like a truck. To be fair, a pandemic was new. It was just the opposite of exciting. And after my first low grades and a rejection that truly, unfortunately, shaped my entire college life, I was henceforth sick and afraid of the new. But here I am, looking back, changed by time like water smoothing stone, hoping everything I learned could help someone else.

SO, TO MY 18-YEAR-OLD SELF:

Resist the urge to underestimate yourself, but keep the humility.

First things first—you’re going to think you peaked in high school. And that’s kinda not true. Kidding aside, college is a shark tank of all the smartest, most ambitious sharks that want the same things you do. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, to think you can get swallowed up by all the doubt and shrink into yourself, believing that there’s no space for you to explore and pursue your dreams. But don’t.

You’re where you are because you, and other people, had faith in your ability and your promise. So keep that faith locked in. There’s enough space in the world for you to learn, to chase your own dreams, and to do what you love.

You can’t give up the moment it gets hard. You can handle more than you think you can.

Speaking of underestimating yourself, I’ve always been so guilty of simply passing over opportunities because I think I can’t do it. Or that it’s not “worth it.” I’ve said “okay na yan” more times than I can count. I lower the bar because I’m afraid of pushing myself to the limit only to fail. But I know that you can’t see the view from the top of a mountain without making the climb.

And I don’t tend to regret many things, but looking back, I know I was too complacent and never pushed myself or my work to its best. Unfortunately, I find that I still do that sometimes. But we work through it. You power through the anxiety and the fear of failure, and you’ll strike gold.

Open yourself up to the possibility of enjoying and learning from new experiences.

Some of my favorite classes were electives that I took because I was drawn to it, despite the potential of a bad grade, or classes I thought were unnecessary. Some of my lowest grades were in those kinds of classes, too! But I found that the learning was worth any bad grade. Also, some of my favorite experiences in student organizations were in positions I didn’t even think I qualified for.

I learned so much from those classes and org experiences, and not just about the lessons and the kind of work I did, but about myself and all the possibilities I had in front of me. How would I feel if didn’t let myself be open to the possibility that an experience, while presumably out of my comfort zone, could be great for me? I’ll have spent so much time wondering what if or being ignorant about something that could help me understand myself and the world I wanted to partake in.

Surround yourself with good people, and be the kind of good people you want to be surrounded by.

My thesis partner, whom I knew since freshman year, once said to me that they regretted that we only became close during our final year, and while the pandemic (and unfortunate circumstances at the time) did fracture newly-formed friendships, I was lucky to have found friends that will stick with me long-term. I don’t have to tell you to be a good person or a good friend, but you do have to choose friends wisely and with an open mind.

“Time goes fast. Eat it up, but chew slowly.” – Emily Wickersham

This is a shot of the driveway I got lost in the very first time I stepped on campus—the same driveway I spent about 20 minutes in every day both my freshman and senior year before going home. I don’t think it changed much, but I definitely have.

Four years of college went by just like that, and I’ll always feel a sense of resentment at having a full experience ripped away from me. But what the last few years have taught me is that you just have to take life day by day, moment by moment. Life changes and we grow old fast. Before you know it, you’ve graduated and you’re thinking about all the regrets you have and all the things you should have done and writing about them like you’re a 60-year-old with all the wisdom in the world. Regardless, while “make the most of what little time you have” is generic and clichéd, it’s always sound advice.

In all honesty, all that this sentimentality leaves way for is me wishing I knew better before. But the important thing is, I know better now. And hopefully, you do, too.

Continue Reading: So, You Just Graduated From College. Now What?

Make the thesis process as painless as possible by trying out these websites to help you with everything from your RRL to deck design and organized collaboration!

Related: Visit These Public Libraries In Manila For That Next Study Session

One of the most excruciating things about doing your thesis is looking for related literature. It has to not just be related, but also relevant, accurate, and properly-sourced. One of the most exciting things about doing your thesis is finding those perfect references to use in your paper. Thankfully, there is a wide variety of websites and databases available to students and scholars alike so you can be more excited than excruciated when embarking on your thesis journey.

Besides libraries and databases, this list also includes tools and platforms that will help you in being organized, creative, and streamlined in your research process. From JSTOR to Canva, Google Scholar to Miro, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone.

ZOTERO

Zotero is a free tool that can help you collect, annotate, and cite all your references quickly and efficiently. Tired of having to cite manually or having to input each reference into a citation machine individually? Zotero’s got your back. You can upload links, PDFs, books, and other references and sort them as you wish, and Zotero will automatically grab the metadata for easy citation. You can make minor edits to the data, then just pick which citation style to use, and Zotero will generate your entire bibliography just like that.

PHILIPPINE E-JOURNALS

Philippine E-Journals or PEJ collects and stores articles, publications, and journals from schools and universities across the country. While a lot of material are only available in print, you can find older, less well-known, and very specific localized references written by Filipino scholars in this database.

GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Google’s search engine for scholarly literature is incredibly helpful, especially when you’re just beginning your research. It scans across a broad range of sites, databases, and libraries to give you leads to articles and books relevant to your thesis. Its tagline “stand on the shoulders of giants” is accurate representation of what it offers to the world, and is actually quite inspiring.

TAYLOR & FRANCIS

Taylor & Francis publishes renowned, peer-reviewed journals and makes them available on the website. Spanning a wide range of fields, Taylor & Francis is trusted and closely monitored, so you’re sure to get quality references—but often, for a price. Many articles are open-access, but to gain access to more, you have to subscribe, or your institution may be able to help you. Regardless, you’ll for sure find something that helps.

JSTOR

This digital library stores and publishes millions of journals, books, media, and other sources across a wide range of fields. While most resources are unfortunately hidden behind paywalls, JSTOR’s Open Access Collection does have accessible publications and references for your perusal. Also, check with your university as they may be able to give you access to those journals and papers.

YOUR UNIVERSITY DATABASE

Don’t sleep on your school’s library and database. After all, there’s a reason why your tuition costs as much as it does. They most likely will not just allow you access to paywalled websites like Taylor & Francis or JSTOR, but they also have publications and archives that much more relevant to your studies because they’re most likely localized and from similar contexts. You might even be able to contact some scholars directly for more help!

RESEARCHGATE

ResearchGate is more of a social networking site for scholars, but it’s great because most of the time, authors and scholars whose articles are hidden behind paywalls upload their papers to the site. If not, they may have contact information you can use to reach out. Last year, when I was doing my thesis, I used ResearchGate to contact a Hong Kong-based scholar whose conference paper was unavailable online, and she replied with a copy of the paper and even a PDF of her presentation deck!

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

The United States Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, hosts millions of source material in its digital database. Books, films, newspapers, photographs, audio recordings, maps, and manuscripts are all there for your perusal. If you’re doing any sort of historical research, this library will provide you with countless resources. And even though it is owned by the United States, there is so much material about the Philippines, especially during the American occupation.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF THE PHILIPPINES

With newspapers, exhibits, books, pictures, and publications, the National Library holds a pretty sizeable collection of documents. While its interface leaves much to be desired, the website is another nook and cranny you should check out to find the best resources for your study.

SCIENCEDIRECT

ScienceDirect makes papers and publications all about the sciences available to users. People can use it for scholarly, government, or industry work involving topics from the physical, life, and health sciences to the social sciences. Millions of its reference material are open-access as well.

LUCIDSPARK OR MIRO

Lucidspark and Miro are both collaborative platforms where you can make digital “whiteboards” to organize your thoughts, references, and data, as well as create diagrams, flow charts, and visualizations of said data. They’re great for brainstorming and taking note of ideas, tasks, and plans. Choose whichever platform works for you and get to collaborate with your thesis-mates in an organized and engaging manner.

OTTER

For studies dealing with interviews or focus group discussions, Otter can help you transcribe your audio files so you don’t have to deal with the excruciating, long-winded pain of transcribing manually. However, be warned, though, that you will still have to double-check the transcripts because it will not be 100% accurate, especially if the language spoken isn’t English or if there’s too much noise in the background. The service is also free-to-use for a limited number of minutes and transcriptions per month.

CANVA

Move over, PowerPoint and Google Slides. Canva has taken over the scene as the premier design platform to use for everything from presentation slides to birthday cards. You can use Canva to design your thesis materials—your deck, your thesis poster, pamphlets, graphs, and more! With their templates and easily-available graphics, your materials will never look better.

Continue Reading: Here’s How You Can Win A 350,000 Peso Scholarship To Study Abroad

Related: This New Converse Collection Celebrates Pride And Boundless Expression

Wondering what to wear for back-to-school is a perpetual problem for students everywhere. Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, expressing your identity through clothes is just as important as staying comfortable during those walks between classrooms. If you’re looking for inspiration, here’s a few things that should always be in your college wardrobe!

THE EVER-ENDURING SWEATER

Some college classrooms feel like the Arctic—that’s where sweaters, pullovers, and hoodies come to save the day! A simple sweater is an easy way to express your fashion sense even if you have to wear a uniform to school. From cotton and polyester to knitted fabrics and wool, you can easily find the best snuggly sweater to wear to fall asleep study in.

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GRAPHIC TEES

Between classes, extracurriculars, and a social life, you’ll need something as versatile as you. Graphic tees are characterized by three things: comfort, making a statement, and showcasing the personality of whoever wears it. And as an added bonus: wearing witty statements, pop culture references, or eye-catching artwork on your shirt is an instant conversation starter.

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SNEAKERS

Some people like to wear heels or boots to school, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, you’ll most likely see everyone on a college campus in their comfiest (often most scuffed-up) sneakers speedwalking from one building to another. Find your favorite pair, wear them down, and let them carry you to excellence.

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DENIM

Finding the perfect denim pieces in the mall or even in thrift shops is almost as rewarding as an A+. A classic pair of jeans or a denim jacket goes with everything, and you can style them as casual or as elevated as you’d like, perfect for classes, org events, and even after school late nights at your favorite bar or restaurant.

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CARGO PANTS

The end of skinny pants is imminent. If you want to switch out your denims for those warm, relaxed days, no worries! As legroom and breathable fabric takes center stage in the current trend cycle alongside 90’s and 2000’s fashion, cargo pants have also come back to the mainstream in different colors and fits perfect for your own sense of style.

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SANDALS

Don’t judge too hard—many people have agreed that socks with sandals are the pinnacle of comfort. Sometimes, you just don’t feel like lacing up your sneakers for a long day of 3-hour lectures. Thankfully, a pair of comfortable rubber, leather, or cork sandals will keep your feet comfy and supported all day.

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CANVAS TOTES

The roomier, the better! Canvas totes allow you to throw everything you need for the day into one big, lightweight bag you can carry all over campus. So if you no longer want to deal with zippers and flaps or want everything right at your side, you can find tote bags that perfectly meet your needs and reflect your style—you can even get some customized!

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While college seems like a place to show off, serve a look, and be trendy, don’t forget to choose what’s best for you, your comfort, and your goals. Stick to what works, but also try out new things once in a while! That’s what it’s all about.

Continue Reading: A College Senior Shares What It’s Like to Finally Be Back on Campus

What do we do when our timeline falls apart and our future isn’t what we planned?

Related: IT’S EASIER SAID THAN DONE: THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A PLUS-SIZED GEN Z WOMAN

#NotesToNYLONManila is a weekly advice column for all things Gen Z. From college applications and our first job, to situationships and financial woes, let’s talk about what it means to be growing up in this generation and how to thrive through the best and the worst of it all.

This week, we have a letter about confidence and failure, and what it means to believe in yourself when you don’t succeed.

#NotesToNYLONManila: On Failure, Delays, and Confidence

Dear Black Swan,

Delays are scary. Failure is terrifying. And confidence? Confidence only truly manifests itself when tested.

In the school system, we are raised to follow a strict timeline. When we plan out our lives, we more of less do the same. A failed exam or class can sometimes mean pushing back our “life” by a whole year, and I completely understand how daunting this might feel, especially when everyone else around us seem to be moving forward. When we’re taught a singular way to look at our future, detours can look like dead ends.

You must be thinking, “If I can’t do this now, what’s my life going to look like at 30?” Or maybe you’re wondering, “Does this failure mean this isn’t the path for me?”

Let me share with you something that’s comforted me at one point in the past, too.

Stan Lee, the man behind the Marvel Universe, created his first hit comic at 38 years old.

Viola Davis landed her leading role at How To Get Away With Murder in 2014, 18 years after her broadway debut.

Vera Wang became an independent bridal wear designer at 40, after leaving her stable career in journalism.

When I started looking at people who found success later in life, I wondered if timelines might not be as rigid as we were taught. And as I grew older and took even more career detours, I’ve only been met with confirmation.

Just like you, my own failures led to my delayed graduation and bouts of anxiety that clouded my college experience. I watched my barkada march without me. I scrolled past as my classmates added jobs to their Facebook profiles, while I remained in the classrom. I spent late nights and early mornings furiously googling ways out of my situation. However, more than just the external pressure and the threat of a skewed timeline, it was the self-loathing that was hardest to overcome.

Know that you are not defined by your failures, but by the choices you make afterwards. What’s more important than passing an exam or graduating on time is understanding that you are the kind of person who will work hard, try, and push forward no matter what.

Let’s cultivate confidence not from our accolades nor our milestones, but from each time we decide to get back up and learn. The sooner we accept that failure is an inevitable part of life, the sooner we’ll gain confidence as works-in-progress.

You might not be moving forward in the direction and in the timeline of your choosing, but you can choose to be the kind of person who continues anyway.

I’m rooting for you,

Ayn

Continue Reading: SO, YOU JUST GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE. NOW WHAT?