Write from facts rather than momentum
Pause long enough to remove accusations, assumptions, and details that belong to someone else. For a message about how to follow up on an internship application, use this factual base: restate the role, conversation, submission, or promise and include the relevant date or reference.
Offer a proportionate next step
Match the size of the request to the relationship and to what the recipient can reasonably decide now. Ask one answerable question, make any real deadline visible, and offer an easy way to close the loop. Make the immediate next step clear enough that the recipient can answer without reconstructing the entire history.
Protect privacy on both sides
Do not send daily reminders, manufacture competing offers, or contact unrelated employees for leverage. Use the official application or accessibility channel when the matter involves protected information or accommodation. Use the most private legitimate channel available and do not share the exchange to recruit support or pressure.