Saying goodbye has never been easy for me. As an emotional woman, tears fall, sappy words are exchanged and hugs are uncomfortably long. At the end of this week, I will say goodbye to 834 and the feeling is bittersweet.
For almost two years, 834 has been what my world revolved around and most importantly, become a second “home.” My co-workers became my best friends and sisters in the best (any sometimes worst) way possible and my clients became some of my favorite people. So as I prepare to make the biggest leap of my short life, I decided to share some of the things I learned as I transitioned from student, to intern, to project coordinator, to project manager in my two years with #Team834.
Rewind to January of 2015 when I walked into the 834 office for my first day as an intern. I had no idea what Basecamp was, no idea who any of the clients I would be working on would be and no clue how to make coffee in the spaceship that sits in our kitchenette. Kim did not know my name (and some days still doesn’t) and to be quite honest, I had no idea how or if I was going to survive the semester. Fast-forward to today and I don’t know how I’m going to say goodbye.
So here’s the skinny on the life lessons I’ve learned from my time in Suite 205 at 560 Fifth:
- Always make the coffee stronger than you think – one time a year and a half ago, I made weak coffee and have never been able to redeem myself.
- Doughnuts are always the right answer.
- Gchat is the modern-day AOL Instant Messenger.
- Organization is your best friend – as someone that identifies as “Type A+” organization has always been my best friend, but as a project manager, your everyday sanity depends on it.
- Life does not come with a syllabus.
- Your teammates are your backbone – even on the worst of days and the most stressful weeks, Team834 has been standing behind me, supporting me, helping me push back and helping me finish out the week(s) strong.
- If you don’t turn it off, you are going to burn out. There have been many weeks that Friday arrives and the only thing I can think about is going to sleep. Knowing when to turn it off in the evening and letting emails sit until morning was a personal hurdle but has help the burnt-out feeling that comes around at the end of a busy week.
- Find a hobby. For those of you who know me, you know that Pure Barre and fitness have become my safe haven and my favorite way to unwind and distress.
As I spend my last few days sitting at my desk and preparing to make a big move I can’t help but thank everyone who has made my time at 834 a whirlwind adventure. The experience I have gained is invaluable and has set me up for every career move I will make in my future.
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