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In the midst of applying for several summer internships, Alex Rubin ’14 couldn’t help but find himself disillusioned with the internship opportunities he was found.
“They all seemed so cold and disconnected from real life,” said Rubin. “I suddenly realized I was craving an internship where I could work with my hands.” He added, “You know, stack fish all day.”
According to Rubin, an internship consisting of making coffee for office workers and answering phones would fail to contribute to his growth as a human being.
He explained, “I’m looking for an authentic working experience where I really make a difference. In order to get that, you have to get your hands dirty. Dirty with fish guts which pop out when you stack them on top of each other and smell all stinky like ammonia.”
“Dollar signs and spreadsheets? What’s the point?” Rubin continued. “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish: stack ‘em.”
Rubin’s parents, however, have been less than supportive about his internship aspirations.
Rubin’s father said, “We send Alex to an Ivy League university so he can get a good internship and a good job to support himself, and what does he do instead? Wastes his time with this fish-stacking pipe dream.”
“Jesus said you teach a man to fish, you’ve fed him for life. Teach a man to stack fish, you’ve done what? Nothing. My son is a starry-eyed dreamer, and he’s gonna have to learn the hard way,” continued Rubin’s father. “Stacking fish won’t put bread on the table.”
“My parents don’t understand why I want to stack fish and, hey, that’s fine. I get it,” said Rubin. “But you gotta do what your heart tells you. And mine tells me tuna. Stacks and stacks of tuna.”
