Intern Week 6: Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness

Bringing America's Spirit to the Office

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand”

-Harry S. Truman

Truman, the 33^rd President of the United States of America, could not have said it better. His quote sums up the numerous feelings held in my heart as the July fourth weekend went by: patriotism, joy, nationalism, and determination to “do the job at hand.”

Applying this mentality to every aspect life is my daily goal – whether through my relationships, academia, or summer experience at V-Soft. Initially, I struggled adjusting my sleep schedule to a waking up at seven a.m in the morning and working 40 hour work weeks.

Work Takes Work

I struggled with finding that motivation to keep going when hitting some road bumps like losing my work when my computer randomly restarted or finishing the day on a high note after finding WordPress did not save your work at 4:30 p.m. Working is tough – I always heard this from my folks but never really grasped the concept until now.

Since I was young my mom always told me how much effort it takes to earn money and how easy it is to spend it. Thanks to her, she instilled in me the value of a hard work ethic and a strong moral compass. After my 6^th week at V-Soft, despite having previous work experience as a student worker, nothing compares to the real life experience I receive each day.

With the completion of my 6^th week, I have a newfound appreciation for what my parents and mentors do. With only my bi-weekly income to support me, I cannot help but live within my means. Now, I have learned the value of earning money through work, and how painful it is to spend it.

Ready for the Future

Most of my life my classmates and I have dreamed of being adults, even idealized it – the independence, the freedom, the lack of barking orders in your life – what more could you want?” Especially as a Yale student, I have been instilled the concept of looking towards future for motivation and never looking back:

1. You work hard in middle school get into a good high school
2. You work hard in high school to get into a world-class university
3. You work hard in university to get into a top tier job
4. ....... the treadmill never ends.

However, I have realized through the Bulldogs in the Bluegrass program and specifically at V-Soft that being an adult and “independent” is so much more. I have enjoyed my internship at this amazing place: meeting new like-minded, hard-working people and establishing lifelong friendships at V-Soft is more than I could have ever asked for.

Since the first day I stepped foot at Yale, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in Economics and Finance with future plans to work as a consultant after my undergraduate career. The thought on working on team-oriented projects to resolve problems - whether management, financial, or other for clients - excites me.

As a rising Junior, I understand that every summer counts - I needed as much work experience possible and V-Soft was the route for me! When I applied, I had every intention to get the most out of my summer internship experience and I have.

Thankfully, my experience at V-Soft has gone above and beyond my expectations by demonstrating the intricacies of working in an office environment: from contacting your superiors via chain of command, following through with your project deadlines, to learning how to climb the corporate ladder - working in an office is a constant learning curve.

As a result, similar to my time at Yale, my time at V-Soft has provided me with the knowledge and experience on how to become a successful economic mover and shaker in New York.

Finally, in the words of Harry S. Truman

“Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better” ….......... I will seize the opportunity.

Here's My Previous 5 Weeks

1. The IT Intern Survival: Week 1
2. IT Company Intern Advice: Week 2
3. IT Intern Week 3: Food, Sleep, & Local Sites
4. Life as an IT Company Intern: Week 4
5. V-Soft Intern Week 5: Mentorship

About Misael Cabrera

Misael Cabrera is a 3rd year student at Yale University studying economics. He spends spare time working for the Yale Daily Newspaper, playing club soccer, and working at the MBA grad school. Misael hails from the sunny beaches of Los Angeles, California where upon graduation hopes to further his education and join the ranks of economics movers and shakers in New York. He recently joined the V-Soft family for the summer as an intern and we're thankful to be a part of his journey.