Singapore student completes 6 internships before graduating from university
Students in Singapore would know best — the education system here is undoubtedly rigorous and highly competitive.
In a recent video, TikToker @jungyuminn, who was born and raised in Singapore, shed some light on just how demanding it is.
“One of the craziest things” about being a student in a local university, she shared, is that she has already completed six internships — and she has not even graduated yet.
Acknowledging the enduring “hustle mindset” in Singapore, she posed a thought-provoking question: “But where do we draw the line? What would be considered too much?”
@jungyuminn How many did you do because at this point it’s getting a bit much 😭 #fyp #fypsg #tiktoksg #intern
Doing 3 to 4 internships is not unheard of
The TikToker, who prefers to be known as Yumin, is a final year business administration undergraduate at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Speaking to MS News, the 23-year-old student shared that taking on six internships is not considered “normal” per se.
Three to four internships however, would not be unheard of for the average business student.
This is because most undergraduates aim to secure summer internships every year from their second year onwards.
Many also take on six-month internships either through a Leave of Absense (LOA) granted by the university or via a credit-bearing internship, added Yumin.
In order to accommodate more internships and exchange programmes, a significant portion of students in Yumin’s batch will be graduating one semester later than usual.
“The environment is competitive and many feel the need to constantly build on professional experience,” she said.
Source: NUS
Each internship ‘helped shape the kind of career’ she wants to pursue
Sharing more about the six internships she did, Yumin said she initially explored creative fields like UI/UX design and social media marketing as she knew early on that she wanted to specialise in marketing.
Over time however, she found herself gravitating towards roles that involved more strategic thinking and problem-solving — leading her to pursue opportunities in regional marketing and business development.
Throughout her journey, Yumin eventually discovered her true passion.
“What excited me most was the variety and challenge of working across different industries — and that’s what drew me to consulting,” she said.
Now a consulting intern, she has come to realise that the skills she built along the way have added value in more ways she had ever imagined.
Beyond internships, Yumin participated in two consulting projects through extracurricular activities while studying.
These experiences, she shared, helped tie everything she had learnt together.
“I truly value how each internship and project taught me something new, and together, they helped shape the kind of career I now feel confident pursuing,” she stated.
‘Hustle mindset’ is not inherently bad or toxic, but comes at a cost
To Yumin, the hustle mindset in Singapore is not “inherently bad or toxic”.
“Two truths can exist at once — it can be both motivating and mentally exhausting,” she pointed out.
Especially since career interests can shift so drastically over the span of four years, Yumin shared that it was this “internal pressure” that led her to discover what she truly wanted in a career.
“If it wasn’t for the hustle mindset, I don’t know if I could have thought of pursuing consulting,” she said.
The other truth, she revealed, was that this lifestyle came at mental and psychological costs.
Source: kieferpix on Canva
“There were times when I doubted myself and felt exhausted,” she added, especially during application phases and interview stages when things didn’t turn out the way she expected.
“I have experienced stress from continuously applying for jobs, burnout from superdays and half-day assessment centres,” said Yumin.
She even had a rescinded offer.
Yumin noted that the culture in Singapore is certainly highly competitive — something her peers from other countries like the UK, Canada and South Korea, did not experience.
‘Hustle mindset’ encourages resilience
Although this culture has been “normalised” in Singapore, Yumin believes that it formed a part of her identity — one that she has come to embrace and love.
“If I didn’t have this mindset, I would not have had the resilience that I have now,” she emphasised.
Her extensive experiences have strengthened her convictions as an adult preparing to enter the workforce — shaping her core values when it comes to self-worth, friendships, working relationships, and more.
“These values are truly important to me, given that as a graduate entering the workforce in 2026, I will have to face the harsh reality of layoffs, technological disruption, and global crises,” said Yumin.
However, hustle culture does not resonate with everyone, as people have different working styles and personal goals.
Yumin has always sought out various ways to fill up her time and expend her energy — even if it brings her stress.
It is because she feels a “sense of pride and achievement” from doing so.
Image courtesy of Yumin
Managing a hectic schedule is crucial, she highlighted.
Especially for the non-credit-bearing internships, Yumin made sure to coordinate school timetables and working hours.
“Examination periods and project timelines were a lot more difficult to handle,” she admitted.
Communicating her needs to her supervisor, she said, was key to a more balanced workload during these busy periods.
“Arranging my own expectations by finishing more work beforehand was also very important,” she added.
‘Every rejection is a redirection,’ says uni student
Yumin highlighted that while taking on several internships does significantly boost one’s portfolio, it is important to ensure this does not come at the expense of the quality of the internships.
“I don’t believe in taking internships just because you need to fill up the space in your CV,” she said.
She advises other students to “critically evaluate” whether the working environment, job scope, and career prospects align with their own preferences before accepting an internship.
Another piece of advice she wished to share is that “every rejection is a redirection”.
Admitting that it may not always make sense, or may even seem naive to maintain such optimism, Yumin urged others to have courage.
“It will eventually work out if you keep showing up and stay true to yourself in the process,” she added.
Yumin also suggested forming a trusted personal and professional support network, which will be a lifesaver during times of burnout and high pressure.
Ultimately, she reminded others that these experiences are just jobs and that no one needs to have everything figured out at 22 years old.
“Over time, your careers will blossom and hopefully enable you to form mutually beneficial and enriching connections,” she said.
Also read: US College Student Applies For 456 Jobs, Gets 3 Internship Offers After 4 Months
US College Student Applies For 456 Jobs, Gets 3 Internship Offers After 4 Months
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Featured image courtesy of Yumin and adapted by NUS.
