As I wrap up my first summer internship in the bay area, I want to share some of my experiences so far.
Let's rewind to Feb 2015...
I received an email with an offer letter and I sprung up from my seat in and took a screenshot of the email just to make sure that I still have the offer even if their is no record of the email. I shared it with family and friends and it was all wonderful. Now comes the time to plan logistics for the summer.
I started looking for apartments near my workplace on craigslist. TRUTH: It is extremely hard to find a good place to live temporarily near your workplace, so get started early. But don't fret. There are a lot of resources to help you. Use Padmapper. It is the single most important craigslist filter known to mankind. It'll help you filter through craigslist posting according to location and price. I did not try AirBnb but I have met some interns who did and it worked for them. Try to find a place in San Francisco, Palo Alto or Mountain View.
Once your apartment search is over, look for some means of transportation. A bike is the most helpful thing you can buy if you do not own a car. Rent a bike or just buy one off craigslist and then sell it at the end of your summer. Big companies usually have shuttles, but a bike is still recommended. You can always combine your bike with BART and Caltrain for a longer travel.
Great! - Now you are in the Bay Area and have started your internship.
Try to meet as many new people as you can during your internship. Meeting people who are already doing what you want to do in the near future is a great way of learning about the role/position. Don't be scared to reach out to them. People are mostly willing to help other people that need guidance/information.
To have a great summer, meet other interns both inside and outside your company. Most companies have intern open houses during the summer. This is a great way to get to know and meet other interns in the Bay Area. Make friends and hang out with them for the rest of the summer. Keep in touch and network. Participate in Hackathons often (if you code). Find events on EventBrite or talk to other interns/people.
Have a great summer in the Bay Area! YOUR SUMMER IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT!
Let's rewind to Feb 2015...
I received an email with an offer letter and I sprung up from my seat in and took a screenshot of the email just to make sure that I still have the offer even if their is no record of the email. I shared it with family and friends and it was all wonderful. Now comes the time to plan logistics for the summer.
I started looking for apartments near my workplace on craigslist. TRUTH: It is extremely hard to find a good place to live temporarily near your workplace, so get started early. But don't fret. There are a lot of resources to help you. Use Padmapper. It is the single most important craigslist filter known to mankind. It'll help you filter through craigslist posting according to location and price. I did not try AirBnb but I have met some interns who did and it worked for them. Try to find a place in San Francisco, Palo Alto or Mountain View.
Once your apartment search is over, look for some means of transportation. A bike is the most helpful thing you can buy if you do not own a car. Rent a bike or just buy one off craigslist and then sell it at the end of your summer. Big companies usually have shuttles, but a bike is still recommended. You can always combine your bike with BART and Caltrain for a longer travel.
Great! - Now you are in the Bay Area and have started your internship.
Try to meet as many new people as you can during your internship. Meeting people who are already doing what you want to do in the near future is a great way of learning about the role/position. Don't be scared to reach out to them. People are mostly willing to help other people that need guidance/information.
To have a great summer, meet other interns both inside and outside your company. Most companies have intern open houses during the summer. This is a great way to get to know and meet other interns in the Bay Area. Make friends and hang out with them for the rest of the summer. Keep in touch and network. Participate in Hackathons often (if you code). Find events on EventBrite or talk to other interns/people.
Have a great summer in the Bay Area! YOUR SUMMER IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT!
