How to Travel Like an Influencer When Your Summer Job (or Internship) Didn’t Work Out

If your summer internship didn’t work out, you’re probably in that weird in-between space where everyone keeps asking what you’re doing and you’re answering with something vague like, “I’m figuring it out.” Which is honest, but also not very comforting when May is approaching fast.

Here’s the thing no one really talks about: not having a summer job doesn’t mean you failed. Sometimes it just means the path you thought you were supposed to take closed, and now there’s room for something way less traditional—and honestly, way more interesting.

A lot of people think influencer travel is this unreachable thing reserved for people who already have massive followings and brand deals. In reality, most travel creators didn’t start with either. They started by being in the right place, telling good stories, and learning how to turn travel into content that actually connects. That’s where EF Ultimate Break’s Ultimate Content Creator Program comes in.

This summer, EF Ultimate Break is sending one college student to Europe for an entire month to create content. Not just to post pretty photos, but to actually experience what it’s like to be a travel creator. You’re traveling through Europe, learning how to shoot and edit on the go, working with a real brand, and building a portfolio while you do it. It’s not an internship in the traditional sense, and that’s kind of the point.

Instead of sitting at a desk all summer hoping your work gets noticed, this program puts you directly in the environment people dream about breaking into. You’re learning by doing. You’re seeing how trips are planned, how content is captured in real time, and how storytelling plays a role in travel marketing. And you’re walking away with tangible experience, not just a line on your résumé.

What makes this different is that it gives you a platform. You’re not starting from zero and shouting into the void. You’re creating content with EF Ultimate Break’s audience behind you, gaining visibility, confidence, and a clearer understanding of whether travel creation is something you actually want to pursue long-term.

And honestly? Even if you don’t end up becoming a full-time creator, the skills you pick up along the way matter. Knowing how to communicate visually, tell a story, manage your time while traveling, and show up consistently online is valuable in way more careers than people realize. This is the kind of experience that makes you interesting in interviews later, the kind that stands out.

So, if your summer job didn’t work out, maybe that’s not a dead end. Maybe it’s an open door. One that leads to Europe, a month of travel, and a crash course in how influencer travel works, behind the scenes, without the fake perfection.

Interested? Apply here