Classroom to Corporate (5): Last Week at work

My team got my a parting gift: IBM SWAG!!

I just finished my last week at work and I am so sad to be leaving IBM. Who knew that I would enjoy my internship so much? Coming up to NYC, I had really spent more time researching the city and planning all the touristy things I was going to do (Bucket List anyone?) and I did not anticipate the attachment that developed to my projects, my office, my team members, and to the company.

I believe I would compare the whole culture to UNC. In "The Land of the Tarheels", your colors mean everything. You drink Carolina blue, sleep Carolina blue, and your blood ... it better be Carolina blue because red is reserved for NC State. You can walk up to any Tarheel, anywhere in the world and feel confident that the Carolina bond will be enough to hold at least the initial conversation.

Well, at IBM, I believe the same to be true. The company has a very strong internal culture. Being an "IBMer" is similar to saying "I am a Tarheel" and you can make that immediate connection. Even as an intern, I felt like a member of this big community and I found myself saying "WE do this ... WE do that" instead of "they"because by the end, it really was "we" since I was contributing to projects that were going to make a difference.

So on my last weekend in the city, when I should be thinking about all the extra items on my bucket list that DID NOT get checked off, I can't help but think about all the stuff that I DID have the opportunity to take advantage of because of IBM. Who would have thought that I would go to a Yankees game in the Bronx (with other interns who I actually bonded with) or visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art TWICE. Even thinking about the little things like navigating conference call etiquette make me smile!

On my last day, my manager and one of my team members took me out to this swanky lunch at Mesa Grill (a Bobby Flay restaurant). All those sandwiches I was raving about earlier in the week, this trumped it all! The place was amazing and the food did not disappoint. My manager presented me a gift from the team and I got all emotional inside because they thought of me and all that! Now I didn't want to look like the intern that couldn't hold myself together so I didn't cry or anything! But the biggest thing about the whole thing (IBM swag + swanky Bobby Flay restaurant = sensory overload) was that my entire team signed a single card for me. That may sound anti-climactic to you, but the thought almost sent me overboard. I have team members not only in different offices, but different states so for my team to coordinate signing (handwritten and via email) a single card is like a big deal! And they did it all for me! It was just a really great moment and I am blessed to have worked with such amazing people for 10 weeks.

This summer really made me think about all the things that I wanted to accomplish in my professional career. I had all this anxiety in 2012 built up around worry that I wasn't on the right path to do what I love for a living. So one day, I just walked into the academic advising office and switched majors. This summer going into my senior year was really important in making sure that my decision wasn't just some crazy, spontaneous bump in the road that I would have to overcome. My internship solidified that my decision was justified because I realized that journalism IS something that I am passionate about and I can make a career out of social communications. I think I decided somewhere around the 4th of July that I wanted to grow up and be my manager (for realz) because she is just amazeballs! I didn't even know her job title existed until I got to IBM. Not only does a job like hers exist, but people actually look to her for serious communications strategy input. They don't look at her and say, "So basically you get paid to tweet?" That is definitely where I want to be professionally.

I am going to miss Brianna (my intern partner in crime), Tara (Rebecca's oh-so-fabulous boss), Adrienne (best Indian-food-eating buddy in LIFE), Lisa L. (she always tells it how it is), Angela (we ate McDonald's while secretly missing Chick-fil-A), Reilly (who became my personal concierge), Jack (I wish I had half the creative ideas that ran through his head), Joan (I just want to be Joan too!) and Lisa H. (usually my first ping when I didn't screw something up and overall cheerleader for my personal brand)

So! In closing, New York City, you were wonderful, but I can see you anytime, but I will never be able to replicate my IBM experience.

Me and Brianna at CHQ - we didn't get into any trouble THAT day