Little-Wonder.Net

20 July, 2007

Internship no more.

22:52:41 | Work |

20th July (today) marks the last official day of my short internship stint here at Singapore Airlines. (Although I’ve offered to go back to work for a couple of days on an ad-hoc basis next week to make up for the sheer number of MCs I’ve taken during my ten weeks here. Boo to illness and depression, BAH.)

All in all, it’s been quite a good one. The only thing that I dreaded about work each day was the part where I have to get up at 6.45a.m. in the morning, with my usual routine of snoozing my alarm clock until 6.52a.m. (Seven minutes of additional sleep is STILL additional sleep!) Otherwise, everything has been smooth sailing.

The only thing that almost marred my whole internship experience was the three weeks where I was down with depression due to anxiety and paranoia, (you may have recalled, several entries back) causing me to be dull, listless and completely unenthusiastic.

Thankfully, my assistant manager was quite supportive throughout the whole thing, and I’m really grateful for that.

Last day in a nutshell
Of all days, they had to deploy a new security guard on duty at the guard post this morning, who gave me a beady eyed look and demanded “WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR?” like as if I’m some intruder when it is my last day of work after two and a half months.

Gee, the last time I got that from them security guards had been waaaaay back during … my third week at work?

Seriously, this was classic - treated like a newbie on my last day. Hurhurhur.

Brought packets of gourmet chocolate for almost everyone I encounter in the office on a daily basis (except for Mister Security Guard) as a token of appreciation for their guidance and support. Blew a grand total of $30++ in total for them chocolates, but heck about the money - it’s the thought that counts after all.

Everyone was cooing “Oh, so sweeeeeeet!” when I handed the packets of chocolates to them, making me wonder whether they were referring to me, or the chocolates.

Was treated to a full airport tour by my managers, inclusive of the transit, apron and service areas, along with a full access airport pass granted to me for two days. Strolled into the transit area with my pass, feeling queer because this was the absolute first time I’ve managed to step into this area without my passport.

Afterthoughts
Realized that there is going to be several things I’m going to miss once I leave this little building way out in the suburbs, next to the airport runway.

1) The drinks vending machine - from where I purchase my daily dosage of hot chocolate in a last desperate attempt to keep myself awake at work, sometimes up to two cups a day.

2) My secret hiding place - this little corner behind my workplace that offers a full view of the planes taking off and landing - where I head to for walks when I need to escape the cold server room.

3) The sound of telephones ringing off the hook outside the server room, while everyone else is too busy to attend to them. (Uh wait, perhaps this one - I won’t miss that much.)

4) Hearing the same song being played over and over again on the radio station that the office tunes in to. (Especially this particular song by Mika, and that annoying ‘Under my umbrella ella ella eh eh eh‘ song.)

5) Having the telephone in the server room ring up to ten times a day with the person on the other line asking for my assistant manager. It’s become so predictable that I’ve contemplated installing an answering machine with the standard message - “If you’re looking for _____, she is not here.”

6) Being referred to as “the little girl in the office who works damn hard, damn responsible and speaks like an adult“. (Aww.)

7) The nice chats with my assistant manager about anything and everything under the sun, anytime, anywhere.

8) How strange work tasks will suddenly pop up out of the blue - like searching for shortcut keys for a user who has sight difficulty, repairing the printer (?!?) and uh, checking the accuracy of a whole stack of telephone bills from the Finance department.

9) Having been the mastermind of the famous ring prank that almost everyone in the office knows (and was talking) about.

10) The culture of the work environment as a whole. Friendly, approachable colleagues. The relaxed and laid-back work environment where everyone works at their own comfortable pace. The fact that I can wear jeans and t-shirts and be completely myself at work without having to experience the struggle of living each day in stiff shirts, high heeled shoes and a face made up like an opera singer wannabe like how the corporate world entails.

Thank you, Singapore Airlines, for everything.