Day 115: Internship Interview Insanity

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in college, it’s that life loves to throw curveballs when you least expect them. Today was one of those days, and the curveball came in the form of an impromptu internship interview.

The email landed in my inbox at 7:00 a.m., a time when I’m usually in the middle of my snooze-button marathon. It was from a company I’d applied to weeks ago—a small but reputable marketing firm. “Dear Eddie,” it began, “We’d like to invite you for an interview. Please be available at 3:00 p.m. today.”

Today?! My heart sank. I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t even remember what I’d written in my application! Panic mode activated.

I stumbled out of bed and immediately called Amanda, the unofficial voice of reason in my life.

“Why didn’t they give me more notice?” I whined.

“Eddie, stop complaining and start preparing,” she said, her tone no-nonsense. “Go over your resume, research the company, and for the love of all things holy, wear something decent.”

Faisal, overhearing our conversation in the background, yelled, “Wear your lucky socks!”

“Not helpful, Faisal!” I snapped, but secretly, I considered it.

By noon, I was frantically cramming information about the company. Their website was a rabbit hole of buzzwords like “synergy” and “innovation,” none of which made sense to my over-caffeinated brain. I scribbled notes on a piece of paper, hoping to sound remotely intelligent if asked about their mission or values.

The wardrobe crisis came next. My go-to formal shirt had a mysterious stain, and my backup shirt looked like it hadn’t seen an iron in years. In the end, I settled for a crisp white shirt and black slacks that made me look like I was attending a wedding rather than an interview.

By 2:30 p.m., I was a bundle of nerves, pacing outside the office building. The receptionist greeted me with a polite smile and directed me to the waiting area, where two other candidates were already seated. One of them looked like they’d stepped out of a corporate fashion magazine, while the other was typing furiously on a tablet.

Great. Competition.

When my turn came, I walked into the room with a confidence I didn’t feel. Three interviewers sat behind a long table, their expressions unreadable.

“Tell us about yourself,” one of them began.

Ah, the classic opener. I recited my rehearsed answer, trying to sound enthusiastic without veering into desperation. So far, so good.

Then came the dreaded curveball question.

“Can you give us an example of a time you demonstrated leadership?”

My mind went blank. Leadership? Was pulling Faisal out of a karaoke session to finish a group project considered leadership?

“Well,” I began, stalling for time. “In a group project for our marketing class, I took the initiative to divide tasks among team members and ensure we met our deadlines.”

They nodded, and I prayed it sounded more impressive than it felt.

The final question was a test of creativity: “If you could market one thing to college students, what would it be and why?”

I took a deep breath. “A survival kit for midterms,” I said, leaning into the humor. “It would include instant coffee, stress balls, a playlist of motivational songs, and a booklet of memes to lighten the mood.”

That got a chuckle from one of the interviewers, which felt like a small victory.

When the interview ended, I walked out feeling a mix of relief and uncertainty. Did I nail it? Or had I made a fool of myself? Only time would tell.

Back at the dorm, Amanda grilled me for details.

“Did you talk about your strengths? Your goals?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I mumbled, collapsing onto the couch.

Faisal threw me a thumbs-up. “Don’t worry, man. Worst-case scenario, you can always join my dad’s catering business.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said, rolling my eyes.

Lesson of the day: Impromptu interviews are like surprise quizzes—terrifying, unpredictable, and a test of how well you can think on your feet. But hey, at least I survived. Sort of