When I interning, I wasn't paid - but I was fully grateful to be given an interning position at one of the coveted company.

I ate the cheapest, slept on couches, eventually I found there is a hidden spot in the building that one hardly goes go to sleep for the night. Place was open for 24hrs, by then the security recognize me. So I would pretend to leave at 7pm, go to the cheapest jiken rice stall with most generous portion, then come back at 9-10pm when everyone left, shower and slept. Wake up at 7am before everyone else comes in, and I am seen as the very first who arrives at the place.

My ruse was discovered after a few weeks, but the bosses ignored it.

This was 20 years ago. It's common intern is not paid back then, AFAIK. But this made me stronger, not weaker.