Summer is right around the corner, and I am now in my second month of frantically looking for an internship that pays decently. With higher volumes of applications during the summer months comes increased competition for any internship, let alone one that is well-paid.

Honestly, it is insulting as a student to see a position marked as unpaid, especially from companies that are already established and financially well-off. We all know they can afford to pay interns at least the minimum wage.

I am currently a senior majoring in communications with a concentration in media arts and broadcasting, and I will be graduating fall 2017. As someone who has already gone through an unpaid internship to get the experience, it is hard to allow myself to get demoted from getting paid in my current position to being unpaid.

It’s no secret that Austin is a popular place to live in, and with that popularity comes a hefty price. It seems that unpaid internships are more for those who are financially capable. I have the great fortune of having loving parents who want to teach me the importance of living on my own, which means I pay for everything myself. Thus, I am not as capable to be taking time out of my already hectic schedule to work without a salary.

During fall 2016, I was juggling six classes at school and an unpaid internship. I ended up having to work at three additional places so I could still pay my rent, make my car payments, feed myself and afford the other expenses that come within a month.

I had my retail job that I worked on the weekends; a random clinical job that I worked during the weekdays, which I would go to after my classes and stay until two in the morning; and by some miracle, I connected with the Career and Professional Development Center and found an actual internship that had a work-study option, so I got paid but only a small amount. Still, it was experience and they were flexible.

Of course everything was doable, but it added so much unnecessary stress to my life because I was constantly making sure that none of my jobs conflicted with each other. Another issue I faced was finding time to do my assignments for my classes. My grades suffered because of my hectic schedule, but I still managed to pass all of my classes, just not at my very high standards.

So, if for some reason companies are reading this: Please take into consideration the stress you put us as students under and go from offering unpaid internship positions to paid ones. Memes are all over the Internet pointing out the unrealistic expectations entry-level jobs have where they want applicants to have several years of experience under their belts, and trust me, I am trying to get that, but I also have bills to pay. Even if it is the minimum wage, it is something, and that something goes a long way for a college student.

An intern is someone looking for real-world experience and connections, hopefully equipped with some kind of practical and theoretical experience. If you want unpaid work, advertise for what the search actually calls for: a volunteer. I have an education and I have valuable experience, plus I’m eager and willing to work hard — I just also need to be able to afford to live.