When it comes to internships, it’s very common for them to be unpaid these days. Whether you’re a business or agricultural major, there’s no doubt that finding an internship is very competitive. It’s typically a wise decision to accept an internship even if you won’t be raking in cash.

You would think that as long as you’re gaining experience and have your parents’ roof over your head, it should be a great preparation for the real world. Unfortunately, this past summer I learned the hard truth — sometimes employers will confuse the words “unpaid internship” with someone to do their dirty work.

From paying for errands out of my own pocket to being told to plate food for a party without any experience in catering, I experienced the summer from hell, to say the least.

As an unpaid intern, I happily accepted the idea that I wouldn’t receive biweekly pay checks; however, I couldn’t accept the fact that I was using my own money to better my boss’s business.

And the fun didn’t stop there — I can recall a few times when I was personally embarrassed and yelled at by my boss in front of other interns. Even though their business was just taking off and stress levels were high, I was surprised to be insulted when I was working as an intern for free!

However, I think the worst part about my internship experience was that I didn’t gain anything from it; well, except for finding out I would never work for those people again. When I had my interview, I got the impression I would be assisting in writing and editing, and as a journalism major, I was immediately interested in the position. After accepting the internship, I learned quickly that my job would be less about my writing skills and more about delivering gift bags to clients across the city and rearranging furniture for events. Of course, I am thankful I was able to add the internship to my resume, but it would’ve been nice to actually gain some valuable experience.

Sadly, I don’t believe I have anyone to blame but myself for my internship. On the day of my interview, I was delighted with the idea and as I arrived in Chicago, my excitement only grew. This excitement quickly grew into aggravation as when my boss changed the time of my interview twice throughout the day.

Through it all, I have learned that, as young professionals, we might not always get the job of our dreams. Although the summer was a rough experience, I came out of it ready to tackle the next round of obstacles that are sure to come in my career.

After spending a few months in a world where I was treated like my time and ability didn’t really matter, I’ve definitely learn my lesson. For my next internship, I’m doing all the research possible on the company beforehand and not letting myself ignore the signs that an internship is possibly not for me … I hope you do the same!

Taylor is a junior in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].