Q:

Are my expectations of an internship reasonable?

I recently started a SW internship at a big government contractor. I was very excited for the opportunity to work on big projects and collaborate with experienced programmers. However,  my first day I got tasked with helping a small team of non programmers increase their efficiency. I spend most of my days doing work that is neither challenging nor stimulating such as writing macros in excel. I've also been given regular data entry work and find myself struggling to find work to do frequently.
Is this normal for an internship? My entire reason for doing the internship was to gain experience and see how I liked working for a government contractor as a programmer. I feel like I'm not getting anything out of it. Are my expectations of an internship reasonable?

A:

Is this normal for an internship?

Internships vary widely from company to company. You can be involved doing menial tasks like grabbing the team coffee, all the way to working/being taught by the lead developer. 

How should I approach this situation? 

With an open mind.
Most internships don't start off hot at the gate. It takes time for companies to judge your skill level and give you tasks. You need to pace your expectations and realize the position you're in at the company. As a first year intern they don't expect much. You have to ask for new tasks when you can. Prove yourself by exceeding their expectations. 
Be thankful. 
I was lucky to have relevant job internships. Many of my friends weren't. Manual labour is the typical flavour of summer work. So take all opportunities as a golden ticket. 
Your data entry might seem menial, but it gives you an appreciation for what you're automating. Talk to the people you're writing scripts for: it's good experience with getting requirements from customers (blood from a stone). 
And lastly, if you truly can't find work, take some courses online. Take the spare time to increase your coding skills and build something you want to. Practice is the only wait to get better. 

