The summer after my freshman year of college was a long one. While I was lucky to be able to come back to live at home during the break, it was hard returning to this lifestyle after I had experienced nine months of living in a dorm, eating in a dining hall and hanging out with friends throughout the entire day.

The first couple weeks of summer had been fun catching up with friends from high school, hanging out with family and revisiting all of my favorite spots. However, most of the break was spent dreaming about the day I returned to school and got back to what felt like my "normal" life. Online classes were not keeping me busy enough and my random schedule made it hard to get a job. This was when I decided next summer would be different. I would find a job or an internship that kept me busy and made me feel like I had done something by the time I went back to school in August.

I started my planning process during winter break so that I would have time for trial and error. I searched the internet for internships in a couple fields I was interested in pursuing and that's when I found Dream Careers. At first, it sounded too good to be true. The website promised internship placement in a city of your choice with organized housing, meals, activities, and more. I brought it up to my family and the in-depth research commenced.

Five months later, I was in the city of Boston beginning one of the greatest chapters of my life thus far. Dream Careers gave me staff and mentors that cared about my success and knew what I needed to get the most out of my time in college- in the classroom and in internships.

In my two months with Dream Careers in Boston, I learned about what it takes to build a personal brand, online presence, networking skills, and a clean resume. I became familiar with a city I had never visited before and learned how to use a public transportation system that got me anywhere I needed or wanted to be. I met friends from colleges all over the country and learned important lessons from all their walks of life. I worked a full-time internship and learned about America's history just while walking the Freedom Trail outside my door.

From Salem to Fenway, the Boston Harbor to North End, Charles River to Harvard Square, Boston was the most beautiful and adventurous playground for me to learn about myself and my future. I am so thankful Dream Careers (and my family) gave me the opportunity to spend two full months in Boston transforming my life in the most positive way possible. I am forever inspired by the people and experiences that surrounded me during my time in the program.