IF I could only list all the things I love about Chandigarh, this post would never end.
IF I could only list all the things I hate about Gurgaon, this post would never ever ever end.
With my measly CGPA, I could not have asked for a better internship, at McKinsey & Co, Gurgaon. Missing out on the first day of PecFest 2011 for my two interviews with a couple of firangs from the McKinsey office at Munich and Chicago, was probably a sign of all the amazing things Id be missing out on in the next semester -Right from that all expense paid trip to Goa for god knows what, to the Hollywood movie being shot on campus, the supposed Brad pitt sighting, to the crowning of our dear Ms India. bah !
Coming to my internship, er yea. So, I interned at the Purchase Supply Management at McKinsey Knowledge Center. My role was equivalent to that of a Junior Research Analyst. Usually McKinsey hires interns for their BTO and TMT teams, but this year PSM decided to hire one Mechanical/Electrical intern. yay !
Top 5 favorite things about my internship :-
i) The most amazing work culture you could ever imagine. I had a brilliant team, most of them mechanical engineers who still hadnt let go of the Mechanchi spirit, and carried out their shenanigans even at work. Two days into work, someone had already mass mailed the whole floor from my email account about some party I was throwing ! I sang, I danced, and had my initiation period as I found my way into the team.
ii) The cafeteria on every floor ! Unlimited refills of cereal, cola, chips, butter, cheese, biscuits, coffee, tea to munch your way through work. The television set and the sofa, mostly occupied by my team on match days. Lunch buffet and dinner buffet, with a chicken dish and a yummy dessert daily.
iii) Facebook, Twitter, Gmail/Gtalk, Youtube, Torrents, iTunes. You are free to download, surf, browse anything and even have your headphones on while working. This is supposed to increase productivity at work according to some McKinsey study, I bet.
iv) Monthly team outings ranged from Mainland China to binge drinking at the nearest brewery. All expense paid by the company, of course since there is a separate party budget allocated for every person to party once a month ! And the fact that you are perpetually surrounded by intelligent, well read people makes for intelligent conversation mostly revolving around cricket, Bollywood or more recently to a certain Ms Mishra. ( We are best friends, thats what Iv told them at work )
v) I had flexible work hours, so I could walk in anytime before 11 and leave by 6 depending on my work load. My team was pretty chill with me quizzing in between the week, as long as I won and shared the spoils with them -.-
Oh and so yes, work is the only thing that keeps me going. There is absolutely nothing to do in Gurgaon, unless of course you're attracted to shiny objects and malls. Its hot, expensive, full of angry people, lecherous men, rash drivers and kidnappers.
Dilli is good. Dilli ki sardi and Dilli ki garmi, not so much. Travelling's a bitch. God bless the Yellow Line Metro !
Eating, Drinking and Sheesha ranges between good and very very good. Hauz Khas Village, Khan Market and Defense Colony with their innumerable cafes, breweries, sports bars make for excellent conversations over a mug of beer. Good company, however eluded me since its hard to meet people with their busy schedules over the weekend.
However, I did manage to find a couple of vella seniors from college, who took take of the bills everywhere and made sure we had a good time, be it at an Edward Maya concert or with tons of stories from Palo Alto or the blurred memories from the David Guetta concert !
What I miss the most at my training semester, I hear you ask ? Well, apart from the usual 'friends and college', I realize that I never fully appreciated Chandigarh ever before ! The freedom, the familiarity of the city, the city which always made you feel safe through the umpteen number of night outs you've had through the course of your college life !
Uh, but I guess Id still pick getting paid, not giving exams and not doing assignments over Chandigarh, a million times over ! :P
