After finishing my second year of electrical engineering degree at the University of Calgary and being an incoming intern at Arcurve, I was very excited to dive into dynamic software projects, learn different tech stacks, and see how teams collaborate to create software. However, I was also very nervous to start this new chapter in my life. I remember how walking into the office on my first day of work, I was feeling a complex mix of emotions. “What if I cannot handle the workload? What if my new teammates think I am not up to scratch? What if the job is nothing like I imagined?” These worries, and plenty of others, chased through my thoughts endlessly, making me overwhelmed before I even started work.
Fortunately, this nervousness disappeared much sooner than I expected. During the first week, not only was I able to meet other interns and understand how Arcurve functions, but also learn about the company’s culture, history, and values. I also discovered plenty of zoology facts that we learned from Joel Pollard, the Director of Talent Growth and Development, who has been extremely open and supportive throughout the whole onboarding process!
During the second week, I was introduced to my project and its primary tech stacks: Dart and Flutter. Though I had no experience in working with any of the two technologies when I started on the project, I was getting a lot of help and support from my teammates. Of course, it took me some time to develop and modify solution to my first task, which was creating a simple page for a mobile application. However, it helped me quickly realize that success is not just challenging yourself and overcoming your fear of the unknown, but also being able to ask questions and help when needed. And at a place like Arcurve, I always feel like I am part of a supportive and collaborative community, where I can design and build technology solutions and have fun at the same time!
Finally, now, after nearly two months at Arcurve, I can confidently say that when I start my workday, I always feel excitement and eagerness to challenge myself and try out new things. Throughout these two months, I have been able to meet wonderful people and make professional connections. I have realized that this internship is designed not only to do great work with the opportunity to learn and grow, but to experience diverse community connection, memorable and meaningful events, and positive corporate culture.
Entering an environment with new talented and hardworking faces can absolutely inspire some nervousness and unease. But now I look at it as an opportunity to learn as a student, develop as a professional, and contribute as a community member.
