Goodbye, Boston

Remember I once said that waking up to inspiring emails is the best way to wake the brain up? Still true, still true.

I've spend 10 years in New England and 8 years in Boston. Strangely, I don't feel too attached to either place. I will forever be grateful for my experiences at Kent School. If you remember, I was quite a wreck in SPCC. Kent School set me straight. Sort of rediscovered why I should study hard and the fact that studying can be fun. Tufts was an easy four years where minimal effort was rewarded with maximum grades. Made a lot of friends. Turns out that most of them would be just that: friends. I thought I made a lot of good friends. But as people came and people go, good friends became friends became acquaintances.

Carrie Lee, a good friend of mine at Tufts, left Boston after a year working for Arthur Anderson and never looked back. Yvonne Tung, occasional email. Karen Lau, another good friend, kept in good contact and I hope to visit her soon in DC. Bruce Kessler/Won Lee/Anthony Tesssler, good friends for a long time. Mike Leung, only because I am in Chicago now.

Ah, the list goes on. Even Vincci, whom I've seen so little since she came to Boston. I've honestly spoken to her voicemail more. And yet, this all means nothing. Without contact, it is my belief that very very very very very little parts of the friendship is dropped. With contact, it doesn't mean any friendship is strengthened. I guess due to this mentality, I stay in contact with people but don't really think much of it. So what does leaving Boston mean to me? Right now? Absolutely nothing. Maybe when I start a new life in Chicago, the first time I get lost on the streets and take the wrong train, I will note that I am no longer in Boston, a city that I know inside out!

So. Bye bye Boston. Analysis Group, by the way, deserves it's own paragraph. Short, I promise: if it weren't for the 4 years of working experience, Boston would be much more forgettable! Analysis Group is a great company - I suppose you all know this by now - they take care of their employees with faith and expect the employees to do the same to the company. Of course, this model doesn't exactly work out perfectly. You'll certainly have people who work 9 to 5 and call it a day. I think AG knows but doesn't care. As long as there's a percentage of people who are grateful and put in the extra mile of work, the firm will ride that effort into profitability. People - that is the most important ingredient in businesses.

Anyway... the last advice I got from my peers: don't underestimate yourself.