It’s September. It’s potentially the beginning of my last year as a graduate student. Except if I decide to do a PhD at some point. So far so good though, I should be finishing grad school some time next Spring/Summer.

My first article was about my dream job which I finally decided to quit. This was a hard decision, but I did it to solve my rhythm problem. No more long-term academic projects combined with short-term rushes on social media.

The question being, what should I do next? I know myself. There is no way I will feel fulfilled with “just” writing a 100 page dissertation. No matter how passionate I am about my project, I need another challenge. Something new, something exciting, something that fits well with research and writing.

How about an internship?

The main advantage – and disadvantage – of an internship is not being paid. You all get how this is a disadvantage. However, on the plus side, it also means more freedom to try things. As a volunteer, there is a good chance that your schedule will be flexible enough to allow you to take the time you need for your studies. It also means that you can try everything you’ve always dreamt of doing. It would be for a semester, for two days per week.

I’m not saying that everyone can afford an unpaid job, but I really think that it is a great option to try something new and to challenge yourself. You can always combine it with a part-time job. This way you will get all the advantages and can learn twice as much.

Last but not least, a two-day internship will not only fit well into my writing schedule, but it will help me balance it. If I have to use my morning alarm twice a week to go to work, I’ll probably end up waking up more easily the rest of the week to write. I decided to structure my week in two parts, two days at my new internship and two days of full writing. Leaving out: well, weekends because I would love to maintain some kind of social life, and my one day a week to think.

In my next article, I will discuss the importance of what I call “Thinking days”, not just writing.