I usually work from home — it’s one of the perks of being part of a remote-first company. But once a month, most of the engineering team gathers at the office, and honestly, I look forward to these days more than I expected when I joined. There’s something refreshing about seeing faces in person, overhearing friendly banter, and having spontaneous conversations that no Slack channel can quite replicate.
Today was one of those days. I reached the office early — around 8:30 AM — and snagged a parking spot close to the building. If you’ve ever done the office parking shuffle, you know what a small yet powerful win that is. I walked in with a little bounce in my step.
The morning went by with a few meetings, the usual syncs, and catch-ups. Then came the real treat: a coffee break with a few of the other Indian folks in the office. There’s a kind of easy comfort in being around people with shared cultural touchpoints — whether it’s talking about food, families, or just swapping harmless office gossip.
Today’s topic? A new joiner who recently received an award for her performance. There was a mix of surprise and curiosity — “She just joined, how did she get it so soon?” — but I found myself stepping in. I’d seen her work, and I knew how much effort she’d been putting in. “She’s been performing really well and doing more than expected,” I said. To my relief, others nodded in agreement.
It felt good — not just to back someone up, but to see that small encouragement shift the tone of the conversation. I love a bit of gossip as much as the next person, but I also believe in giving people their due. And sometimes, those little moments of advocacy matter more than we think.
What strikes me about this team is how friendly and open everyone is — a noticeable contrast from my last job. There, many engineers had Ivy League PhDs and brilliant minds, but the environment was… different. Conversations were more transactional, and the culture didn’t always feel inclusive. Here, people smile more, chat more, and include you in conversations even if you’re the new face at the table. I don't think it's about credentials or intelligence — it's about the kind of culture a company chooses to build.
Lunch was biriyani — warm, fragrant, surprisingly good — from one of the many options near the office. But even as I ate and chatted, my mind was somewhere else: stuck on a bug I’d been trying to solve in my side project. Balancing a full-time job with a side project is energizing, but also mentally exhausting. I catch myself thinking about designs and feature ideas during lunch breaks, during walks, sometimes even in dreams. It’s like my brain forgot where the “off” switch is.
Later in the afternoon, a senior leader mentioned they’d heard positive feedback about me — that I take ownership of tasks and see things through. It wasn’t a huge announcement or anything, just a casual comment in passing, but it meant a lot. You don’t always know if your efforts are being seen, especially in a remote setup. That one sentence was like a quiet pat on the back I didn’t realize I needed.
I wrapped up the workday around 6 PM, drove back, and went cycling to a nearby pond to soak up the evening sun. It was the kind of golden light that makes you pause — the kind that fills your chest with something soft and calm. Then, like clockwork, I was back at my desk, tinkering with my side project.
Looking back, it was a satisfying day — full of little wins, human moments, quiet recognition, and a reminder that even in a fast-paced world of code and meetings, what often stays with us are the conversations, the sunlight, and the validation that we’re doing okay.