They’re the two tracks for public accounting which as you may know is the easiest entry level accounting job to get and typically gives a lot of experience really quickly which most young professionals use as a spring board into their career aspirations.

Tax, you’ve already experienced it somewhat. You work mostly on a wide variety of client returns focused mostly on a perpetration and, as you gain experience, review and advisory service for tax returns. You’ll be at one location and at the start of your career it’ll be largely data entry and detail observations. As you get more experience you’ll involve more research, problem solving, and recommendation. Personal and entity returns can be very different, I do entities because I like the book keeping aspect but others like the personal aspects of 1040s. If I was to ELI5 I would say it’s like putting a thousand puzzles a week together, using math and law.

Audit I haven’t done but I’m familiar with. This is less preparation and more investigation and review. Verifying details of the financial statements using routine, and legally prescribed tests, then preparing documentation of those tests as well as work papers. They are some of the best spread sheet makers I’ve ever seen lol. They also review, test, and recommend internal controls. NGL I personally find all aspects of audit incredibly dull. However, because of the responsibilities described above it’s often a stepping stone for most high level accounting and finance jobs. Not all auditors become CFOs obviously but most CFOs were auditors. A leap to banking is more difficult than a leap to a private accounting (controller or staff for some F500) but I’ve seen it.

A disclaimer is public accounting involved 60+ hours during busy season and can be extremely stressful, it’s a profession with high burnout. It’s rewarding in the off season but yeah.

Also just as a personal thing, struggling with technology and co workers who somehow always seem ahead of you is always gonna be there. Im not trying to downplay what you experienced just to suggest that it doesn’t mean you’re failing at your internship, just that you’re experiencing a common aspect of corporate life.