Unemployment diary: I'm a 21-year-old Disney World intern in Idaho who's been out of work since April

• The Unemployed States of America takes readers deep inside the decimated American workforce.
• Stephanie Becerra is a 21-year-old Disney World intern based in Boise, Idaho.
• Becerra moved to Florida back in January to pursue a dream internship at Disney World, but was soon sent back as the pandemic shuttered businesses across the nation.
• She moved in with her parents and has been relying entirely on savings and the pandemic unemployment assistance.
• As an incoming sophomore at Boise State University this fall, Becerra's having difficulty finding the right role that fit her preferences and schedule — especially because she's uncomfortable applying for jobs that require her to be there in person.
• This is her story, as told to Meira Gebel.

I moved to Florida in January to start an internship with Disney. I grew up watching Disney movies as many kids do, so this opportunity was really exciting. Disney provided us with housing, transportation, and courses we could take to better our careers and see what we were interested in pursuing. I worked 30 hours a week in the Epcot park, operating attractions and interacting with guests.

When the coronavirus pandemic started to become more of a reality, Disney first told us they were shutting down the parks for two weeks and then reopening — allowing us to stay in our apartments while still getting paid. A few days later, we received an email that they were canceling the intern program entirely and we had three days to make arrangements to go back home. I felt like Disney made the right decision, since no one could have predicted how the pandemic would've played out. So I decided to move back into my childhood home with my parents in Boise, Idaho.

I applied for unemployment in April, but didn't hear back for two months.

For the two months I waited to hear back from the unemployment office, I didn't have any income and relied on my savings, which are nearly gone now. I don't have any car payments, since I bought my car outright while I was still in high school, and am not paying rent, living with my parents. But I still have other various expenses that I've had to dip into my savings to pay. The unemployment office in Idaho told me I didn't qualify for unemployment, but I was able to receive the pandemic unemployment assistance, which gave me a little bit of help.

In July, once I found out interns would not be returning back to Disney, I flew back to Orlando to retrieve my things that I left there.

Since I moved back in with my parents, I've been applying to remote positions. It's hard to find work right now because there are so little openings that could fit with my school schedule. I start my sophomore year at Boise State University this fall and need a position I can incorporate into my full-time schedule.

What scares me about applying for jobs is the possibility of a second wave, since cases are definitely rising in Idaho.

I don't feel comfortable applying for positions that require me to be there in person. There's so much unpredictability with this virus, you never know when or how you can become sick. I'm interested in customer service jobs that I can do safely from home or in an office where social distancing is enforced.

The positions that I've been seeing lately also don't meet the pay requirements I have. Some entry-level jobs are offering way less money than they used to before the pandemic.

Since I don't have a part-time job yet, I've been selling my clothes on Poshmark to make some extra money.

I've been working since I was 16. Being quarantined at home has given me the chance to reconnect with my family and focus on forgotten hobbies.

I'm grateful that I've been able to ride out this pandemic with my family. I'm also spending time working out and focusing on strength training, using fitness videos on YouTube. I used to do kickboxing, so I've taken that back up, using my own punching bag and gloves.

I've also picked up sewing. I've been making my own clothes and selling those, too.

The pandemic has also helped me realize goals I have for myself. While I was interning at Disney, we heard from a few communications professionals, which made me want to focus my college degree on public relations and media arts.