the end of summer

summer really passed by like a whirlwind. obviously, the last 9 weeks of intern haven't been updated here (oops) but i felt like because everyday was similar repeated trends, there really was no point in updating it? i mean obviously i do meet up with people for lunch and dinner afterwards, and we end up talking about life or work or random things, but again yeah maybe i shouldnt be committing to a fixed schedule for updates about work next time HAHAHA

anyways...i feel like i really took a lot of learnings from this internship. aside from the fact that i already know office politics exist before entering the company, i feel like everything else just built upon what i learned in school. and i think the added complexity of supply chains now makes every single gear in the transportation sector ever more vital. it might be mundane on some days, or at certain points of the day, but i think truthfully i can see the value of doing the work that i did. of course it is minor compared to what the full timers do, and obviously they have been working for at least a few years now, but i think that once again, if you have an open mind about things and people, perhaps you can see the reasoning why some people do something. and this is why i think my biggest lesson this summer is "we listen, we see, and we don't judge", because on the other side of the conversation is someone who is also having their own ups and downs, and their own reasons for doing things. i think i am already quite an empathetic person, and that i try to understand people's reasons for doing things, but i think there is always something to work on. 

which leads to another point: that people in and outside of work can be very different people. i know for a fact now that some people get anxious very easily at work, and others (like me) become antsy when people try to over-explain and direct you how to do things when you already know how to do it. to me i do understand the intention is for the best, i.e. to fix the problem, but it just feels belittling and sucks imo because i dont want to make it seem like i am not up to the standard. 

and of course, workplace politics always have a place in an office. it doesn't matter that it is an SME, or a subsidiary of a larger company - it will ALWAYS exist. and i guess the trick is to thrive listening to it and not be involved in it. y'know, passive bystander just sipping the tea and munching on popcorn

and it is funny bcuz like imagine two new interns coming in to replace u and the other intern, and u happen to know BOTH those interns and they both got baited (somewhat) by the job description HAHAHA like i mean i know smu is a small university but THIS SMALL? insane tbh

and of course never forgetting actually going to a warehouse depot and seeing all the different container types (and trying to open one omg the strength required bruh); and the lunches; and the buying of bubble tea; and the coffee runs to old tea hut across the road every morning; and the gossip with the other interns or the full timers (i cant say some bcuz some r rly spicy but just know that old people never change and some relationships arent as secure as they seem to be); all the little talks in boss' office where im just standing there absorbing info and wondering why some people so pekcek (annoying) about the nitty gritty details about the budgeting, and actually why the budgeting always so far off lol; and all the drama in between the different departments; and all the times that were celebrated when the ceo is out of office bcuz he is on some biz trip or that one month summer break with his family back in england lmfao

- steve, who finished this 6 months and 5 days late lmfao. don't mind