Student Blog: Rose's Turn To Work A Summer Job

As a college student, the elusive world of summer internships seems like a secret society that only a select few are allowed membership to. Those of us who cannot score the summer internships of our dreams or get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the foremost creative minds in the theatre industry are left to work the dreaded minimum-wage job—even worse, summer camp.

 Summer is the time to freshen up your skillsets and acquire new ones, which working summer camp will allow you to do. Well-paid camp counselor opportunities that don't require a grueling amount of hours are the perfect way to gain experience in child care, customer relations, and if you're lucky, collaborative theatre.

This will be my third summer working at camp, my previous summers were spent as a group counselor and improv specialist, respectively. This summer, I have the privilege of teaching dance to middle schoolers. All of these positions have their drawbacks and are extremely rewarding. However, this isn't the only job I will be working. 

Outside of camp, I work part-time as a pharmacy technician/cashier at a neighborhood pharmacy learning all of the tricks of the trade. The real crux of this job is learning time management, organizational efficiency, customer service, and data entry. Honestly, it's the perfect job for most entry-level, minimum-wage positions. Minimum-wage positions give performers a chance to broaden their horizons and experience a wide range of different people from different backgrounds. Working on yourself means working on yourself as an artist. Talent can only take an individual so far if there is no experience to draw from. These jobs allow performers to experience life as a plethora of different individuals with different goals and responsibilities. These jobs also provide income, which, at times, can be hard to come by for performers. 

Summer jobs and internships develop the entire person. They are so important to the cultivation of the self and the artist that no one should feel ashamed to have resumé experience outside of the theatre/entertainment industry. Meeting new people and acquiring new skills creates a whole new world of opportunity for growth and networking that many people never venture into.