I’m nearing the end of my internship with Square as an Electrical Engineering Intern. This summer has been quite an adventure, and a whole different world from life at Mudd. Here are some of my key takeaways:

  • Asking real people for help is the best way to clear confusion and find meaningful answers (Google doesn’t always know best)
  • People often know less than it seems and you can fit in by just acting confident
  • Admitting when you don’t know something can be quite satisfying and ultimately make things move forward faster
  • Eight hours (or more) of work a day is a lot - doing something you enjoy is essential
  • Square is an awesome company and has a really collaborative culture
  • Seemingly complex systems actually become quite simple once you break it down
  • How they make some components soooo tiny is still a mystery to me (don’t drink coffee before messing with a PCB)
  • PCB design is such a fun process and forces you to pay attention to lots of nuances
  • Having windows and plants in a hardware lab makes several hours of testing much more delightful
  • One-on-one’s really benefit both people (most people love sharing their experience and knowledge)
  • The Bay Area has so! many! tech! interns! and they all have so much in common
  • Few people get in to the office before 9, most get there 10 or after, and working from home or vacationing is the norm
  • San Fran hosts great events and delicious food but everything is so expensive
  • Homelessness is a huge problem that most people ignore
  • Diversity still sucks in tech companies, especially in engineering and senior levels
  • If it’s Monday or Friday, everyone you talk to is gonna ask you about the weekend
  • Workplace conversations are hella predictable (weather, cars, sports, tech, coffee)
  • Actually doing something can teach you so much more than learning it in a classroom
  • Finding genuine friends at work can make the day go by much faster
  • Basically everyone drinks coffee and depends on caffeine
  • Sleeping 8 to 9 hours a night is incredible
  • Weekends are truly free time
  • Free food never gets old