Summer Interns: Did You Thrive or Barely Survive?

Internships can have a long-term pay off when it comes to landing a job, but spending the summer working without much — or any — compensation simply isn’t feasible for everyone.

Opportunities abound for internships in fields like the arts, theater, and media, but the dream of a summer in New York City might be hampered by its reality as one of the most expensive places to live in the county.

A marketing intern recently reported that she managed to make due on her $25 an hour wages — although they are heavily supplemented by a $1100 monthly allowance from her family. With the rent on her West Village apartment and even her Netflix account covered, the anonymous intern drew ire for living an idyllic life (complete with weekends in the Hamptons and a fancy gym membership) while also bolstering her resume.

With summer coming to a close, WNYC asked interns how they fared. Interns, did you manage thrive or just barely survive? Did you pick up some extra work or find clever ways to save money? Tweet @WNYC or leave a voicemail at 855-869-9692.

We’ll share some of summer internship stories here.