Random Post 2

This summer has been quite the ride. I travelled with my friends, moved to a new place, and explored new hobbies. Yet, even with all of this, the best part has been finishing my first internship. One of my first posts talked about starting it and all of the nerves that came with it. I had never worked a corporate job and feared the regular meetings. Luckily for me, working from home allowed me to at least stay in the comfort of my room. Although this idea has been controversial as of late, I enjoyed this style of work even with the challenges that came with it. 

Starting off, I was sent a new laptop with some other swag. I booted it up and followed the list of instructions on how to log in. Since it was a government contractor it required a few extra steps and tools I have never used. Nevertheless, I logged in and finished the rest of my onboarding process. I emailed my new co-workers, watched some corporate behavior videos, and even had my first meeting. To be fair it was just with other interns, but I got my first taste of work from home. Once I got situated and started my first projects, I experienced the first of the benefits and challenges. 

The first major benefit was being at home. I cozied up with music, sweats, and a coffee. I didn't have to worry about other distractors could focus on my work. Anyone trying to contact me would show up in my email or Slack and all of my work was done online. However, this is also where the first problem arose. Since I am not physically working near someone, there is no way to know whether they are in front of there computer. I still sent out the emails and messages but had to patiently wait for a response. Sometimes this hindered my productivity and left me sitting there. Other than that, I had no other complaints, but the list of positive is much longer. First of all, I was able to make my own schedule. I worked on projects throughout the week that allowed me to be flexible with my hours. I could sleep in, clock out early, or take an extended lunch knowing I am staying on top of my work. Additionally, I saved the commuting and prep time needed in the morning. On average, I saved at least one hour that I used freely. Last, I saved myself from the office culture of water cooler talk, cubicles, and dressing professionally everyday (I wore sweats at least 90% of the time). Overall, my work from home experience this summer has been amazing. Although it is my first time, I can tell that it is something I would enjoy much more. Likewise, to this past year, I loved being at home for classes. I always felt more productive and never missed a deadline. After this next year when I look for jobs, I will definitely be considering a work from home position.