Written at 1 Year Work Anniversary
Looking back, looking forward
Ever since I graduated, time passes by on a different scale. Back at college, every week seems so long, packed with homework assignments, club activities and on campus work. Now, weeks pass by quickly when I don’t notice: during the day there never seems to be enough time to work, and at night I try to squeeze any combination of socializing, reading, sport, video watching into the few hours before midnight. 1 year of work life finished; most of the time I still see myself as a college kid. I am still curious and ambitious like a child.
Here I want to summarize my 1st year out of school. I hope to look back on this summary next year and see how I grow and adapt.
Things I have done well
I take better care of my physical and mental health now than back at school. Previously I never realized that staying healthy and balanced needs effort. Now to become fit, I go to gym 2/3 of the work days for cardio and strength. I started ice skating and have continued working on it for almost a year, and made friends through skating. To relax, I get massage every 2–3 weeks. To maintain a positive mindset, I have reached out to health coach and therapist for help. I have realized that as an adult I need to be on the lookout for myself, and asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of.
Also fortunately, I made some great new friends in the Bay Area. I really enjoy hanging out with them, because they are so smart, energetic, open, fun, quick to learn, adventurous, and I want to be a part of that. I also try to do at least 1 fun thing every weekend, so I am always open to new experiences.
Additionally, I handled life necessities well. I found my own housing 2 summers in a row, and am friends with my housemates. I clean my own space and help clean common area. I researched and bought myself a second hand car. I organize my room and keep my documents categorized. These little things make me satisfied.
Things I learned
My biggest takeaway from my work is that work needs hours of hard work: hours of reading, learning, thinking, writing, asking questions, planning and working (to me, coding). There is no short cut, no one big leap into success. It needs time and a lot of patience (and a little bit of genius). Working and reflecting is the only way to deliver quality end product. Yes, sometimes there will be a lot of petty details, things that are boring and easy and obvious. However, these details build up my vision towards the big picture. Plus, if I can find a way to streamline these details, I get to show impact and complexity, and get to lead this small effort.
Another big takeaway from work is to not scare myself and keep trying. This sounds cliche but true. Take the initiative to start on an effort, and then get feedback on how to improve it. Barely anyone can do anything perfect on the first try, and I am no special.
A big takeaway in life is that I won’t make new friends if I don’t actively socialize. Making friends and meeting new people is much harder than back in college. Most of the time I am at work and surrounded by a small group of co-workers. I need to host more friend gatherings and actively maintain friendships.
Things to improve in the 2nd year
Sleep time. A constant struggle for me. In the past year I kept my college sleep schedule, which is to sleep late and rise late. I have learned my lesson when, on days when I get enough sleep, I can focus better, think faster, design more precisely, and get a better result at work. My goal is to sleep and rise earlier, and get more quality sleep in general, so I am more energetic and efficient during the day.
In general, I want to use time more wisely and efficiently. Because I always want to learn more, achieve more, have more, I will allocate my time better and focus on my priorities.
My hope for the next year is that I get to read more books, travel more and reflect more. This is particularly important because my work is sedentary and very specialized. I spend all day interacting with a small crowd and barely meet new people or experience new things. Getting to know the bigger world will inspire me, bring me new ideas and open new doors.
When I look back on this summary at the end of next year, I hope I will be proud of myself.
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