Your IRL Advantage in an AI World 🚀
Scholarships, IRL hacks, and a $5M yacht Halloween party you can't miss
CAPTAIN’S LOG 🚢
Welcome back Intern Ship Crew! It’s really me, Manny, Founder of Intern Ship! Glad you made it back to my little corner of the internet.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the state of the world—and how we’re all living in an increasingly AI-driven era. For students and Gen Z, that shift brings a mix of excitement and uncertainty. It’s raised an important question for me: how can this newsletter best serve you?
And the #1 question students ask where ever I go whether it’s online or in person is, “HOW CAN I STAND OUT?”
The answer to that is this: IRL networking and building a personal brand.
So from now on, the Intern Ship newsletter is about giving you the IRL edge. You’ll get opportunities to boost your career, a fire lineup of upcoming events to grow your connections, plus social hacks and insider tips to actually stand out when you show up in person. Because in a world run by AI, your human authenticity is your SUPERPOWER.
And trust me — showing up IRL at places (like at our Halloween party aboard a $5M yacht 🛥️🎃) — can open doors you’d never expect.
— Manny, Captain of the Intern Ship 🚢
🛳️ This Month’s Voyage
Here’s what you’ll find in this issue:
💸 The Treasure Chest: scholarships + discounts you can grab now
🚀 Career Boost: jobs + hackathons worth your time
🎉 Upcoming Events: events you won’t want to miss
✨ Social Hacks of the Month: simple tricks to stand out IRL
📰 The Student Brief: trends, tools, and stories shaping student life right now
💎 Captain’s Picks – gems for the mind and soul: a quote, playlist, or wellness tip
💸TREASURE CHEST
🚀CAREER BOOST
First-gen grad? Feeling stuck in the job hunt? COOP can help you launch your career in tech.
✨ 16-Week Career Accelerator Program
Award: Free program with hands-on training, career coaching, and a built-in crew
Tracks: Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, Financial Services
Outcomes: Alumni work at Google, TikTok, JPMorgan, and more — earning $54K–$70K+
Location: Must live near NYC, LA, SF/Bay, Chicago, or Miami
Deadline: Early deadline November 26, 2026
Link: Apply Now
🎉UPCOMING EVENTS
🧠 Hackbubu – The Labubu Hackathon @ SF Tech Week
Date: October 9, 2025
What: 4.5 hour innovation sprint where students and early career builders, founders, and dreamers team up to create future-shaping projects
Perks: Prizes (Credits and the latest Labubus ofc) and IRL collabs with the Bay’s brightest
Link: Join the Hackbubu Crew
🛥️ Halloween Yacht Party!
Date: October 31, 2025
What: We’re bringing 300 of Gen Z’s most cracked in tech aboard a $5M, 124-ft yacht for our most epic IRL mixer yet — 4 decks of DJs, swing-dance lessons, free CPG drops, ocean views, and golden-hour convos you’ll never forget
Perks: Exclusive setting, unforgettable atmosphere, stunning views and limited-capacity networking with the Bay’s brightest Gen Z
Link: Get Early Access to the Yacht Event
📰THE STUDENT BRIEF
🧠 Study Hack Spotlight: Turn Your Coursework Into a Game
Tired of staring at slides? 🎮 One student built PDFtoGame a tool that transforms your class notes into an interactive study game — complete with levels and challenges. Upload your coursework and give it a try.
🔍 Study / AI Tool Spotlight: 100 Chats for College Students
OpenAI has published a hub full of student-designed prompts that help with everything from summarizing lectures and debugging code to generating study questions and polishing essays. Use it to lighten your load—but do so intentionally. Always question, refine, and make it your own.
📚 Ancient Wisdom for a Modern World: Get off TikTok and Study Greek Philosophers
In an age where CEOs predict AI will rival humans within five years, Shark Tank billionaire Daniel Lubetzky says Gen Z’s real edge isn’t another app — it’s ancient wisdom. He argues that critical thinking, curiosity, and creativity—skills honed by studying Greek philosophers—will matter more than ever in the AI era.
💎CAPTAIN’S PICKS
💭 Reflection: “Authenticity isn’t optional — it’s the filter through which your presence cuts through AI noise.”
📚 Read: How to Be Authentic in the Age of AI — a sharp Forbes piece exploring how, in a world full of synthetic content, holding onto and projecting your real self becomes a competitive advantage. Forbes
🧰 Try: Transparency + Ownership — when using AI tools (writing, generating images, etc.), always add a short note about what you added, changed, or questioned. That tiny layer of disclosure helps your work feel real. (Inspired by AI & Authenticity analysis)
🌿 For the Soul:
It’s got all the feels; chill with a hint of groove. Ever use music to manifest? This mix lifts your frequency and helps you lock into a vision. Try listening with intention: close your eyes, breathe, and picture the life you’re building. Let the music hold that dream with you.
✨SOCIAL HACKS OF THE MONTH
🏁 First Impressions
Name Echo: Repeat their name once when you meet. (“Nice to meet you, Jasmine.”) → feels warm & memorable.
Anchor Smile: Enter a room, pause, smile before scanning. You look confident and approachable.
Handshake Rule: Firm, not crushing. And make eye contact for just one beat longer than usual.
Energy Mirror: Match their vibe at 80% (if they’re high-energy, come in a bit under; if calm, come in a bit higher).