In my very first blog post, I would like to tell you about the impressions I gained during my first two weeks at the data school. But let me introduce myself a little bit. In my previous life, all I ever knew was academic research. When you work in academia, you barely know what else is out there; it’s like living in a bubble. I was ready to leave the comfort of this bubble, but I was scared. I feared it would be hard for me to adapt to a new environment. Also, as a huge introvert who always needs a bit of time to come out of her shell, I was scared of not fitting in.
Looking back on the first few days of data school, it was a bit like a blur. It felt intense and also a bit exhausting, packed with lots of information and getting to know many new people.
There are five of us in DSDE12, all from very different backgrounds, and with different personalities. Nevertheless, we quickly warmed up to one another and now it already feels like being part of an amazing team!
On our first days, we were warmly welcomed by the data school team, by our new colleagues and by the CEO, who were all very curious to get to know us and to introduce themselves. I was amazed by how friendly and open everyone at TIL is and about how relaxed the atmosphere is!
Compared to my previous career, I have already noticed a lot of differences. The most striking for me is probably the style of communication. Here, it is more open, and the discussions are more lively and productive. There is so much more creativity involved, which I really love! Also, as a recovering perfectionist, I am learning to embrace being finished over being perfect, since there is just so much time to get a task done. And speaking about time, there is a much stronger emphasis on work-life balance, which I find very healthy.
I am very happy to be at the data school, excited to learn so many new things, and I can’t wait to start on real-life projects!