Orientation and First Weeks
Orientation at a new company can be very overwhelming, and working remotely can make it even more cumbersome as there is no one physically present to guide you through everything. The first few weeks were a blur of setting up software and accounts, learning about how my team operates, understanding the company's history, attending individual meetings with all of my team members, administrative staff, and other teams.
A lot of information was thrown at me, and it was very easy to become overwhelmed. However, what helped tremendously was having two "buddies" from my team who were there to support me during the initial onboarding process. They were always available to help with any questions, no matter how trivial, and they were incredibly welcoming and happy to assist me until I felt more comfortable and settled in my role.
Learning and Adaptation
As this was my first time working on a large codebase within a team, there were numerous new things to learn and adapt to.
The first aspect was the realization of how much slower code is written in the real world compared to working on projects for school. While school projects often start from scratch and follow a set grading curriculum, working with a substantial codebase requires diving into the existing code, understanding its workings, and then carefully making changes to achieve the desired outcome without causing any unintended issues.
Speaking of avoiding issues, due to the complexity of the codebase and the multitude of moving parts, every piece of code written had to undergo extensive testing. Ensuring that the code worked precisely as intended and remained robust against potential changes in the future became paramount.
Lastly, the introduction of code reviews was a significant adjustment. Every piece of code written went through multiple rounds of reviews by several team members. It became evident that writing code was just the initial step; the real challenge was ensuring that everything met the high standards set by the team, leading to numerous revisions and code rewrites.
Accomplishments and Challenges
Throughout my software development Co-op job, I encountered numerous challenges that differed significantly from my experiences in school. Some of these challenges were unexpected and highlighted the uniqueness of real-world development. As someone with limited experience, estimating the time and effort required for certain tasks proved to be tricky; I sometimes found myself overestimating or underestimating the complexity of certain issues. Some tasks took much longer than anticipated, some were far more intricate, and occasionally, despite investing considerable time and effort, we had to come to terms with the realization that certain goals were either unattainable or no longer aligned with our objectives.
However, it is precisely these challenges that make my accomplishments even more rewarding. Each time I contributed code that made it into production, be it a functional addition or a bug fix, I could proudly say, "I accomplished that." Though in hindsight, the changes may seem modest, I have developed a deep appreciation for the extensive thought, problem-solving, and testing that goes into every piece of code.
Social and Extracurricular Activities
During my time at Improving Vancouver, I have witnessed how they prioritize work/life balance by consistently organizing various activities and social events for colleagues to participate in. They place a strong emphasis on fostering a sense of community and camaraderie among team members.
Among the regular activities are coffee meetings, where colleagues are randomly paired up to chat and connect, providing an opportunity to get to know each other better. Additionally, there are weekly social sessions where we all come together online to hang out and play games for an hour, promoting a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. Furthermore, the company hosts random draws, granting lucky employees the chance to enjoy a paid lunch with others, further reinforcing a sense of belonging and appreciation.
Beyond these regular events, Improving Vancouver arranges large social gatherings throughout the year. These events range from movie screenings and barbeques to social dinners, adding a touch of celebration and fun to the work environment. Moreover, there are informal gatherings organized by colleagues themselves, such as rock climbing or badminton sessions.
