October Week 2 Reflection – Vanessa Lam

Vanessa's October Week 2 Reflection

What were your initial expectations coming to work at U+/YRES, and how have they evolved after your first couple weeks on the job?

Some of my initial expectations coming to work at U+/YRES were that I would learn new skills and have new experiences. I would say that my expectations over my first couple of weeks were correct since I was able to learn many new skills and have new experiences which will help me in the working world. Over the past few weeks, I made various connections with co-workers and learnt new skills from doing so. Working at U+/YRES has helped me with my initiative skill since I am the one that if there is an issue, it is my responsibility to withstand for myself if I am away or need help on a project. 


What is one strategy that you use to manage co-op and academic work? What’s something that U+ does well in helping you in maintaining that balance?

A strategy I used to manage my co-op and academic work was using a calendar where i can connect many different accounts since with it, I can connect my school account as well as my co-op scheduling. Personally I use either google calendar or Notation since you are able to link multiple accounts and access meetings from one site however any calendar platform works. As long as it is something that keeps you organized as I typically colour code mine depending on what it is such as purple is all my co-op work and blue is my personal activities. This allows me to plan my week efficiently and make sure all my deadlines are in order. 


One of the key parts of success in a workplace is setting goals. No matter the magnitude or length, goal-setting helps you recognize what you want to accomplish in any professional work setting. What are some things you want to achieve during your co-op at U+?

Some of the things I would like to personally achieve during my co-op time at U+ would be to build connections around my community. U+ gives so many opportunities to work with the community to get the feeling and sense of helping others which is one of the most rewarding things in my opinion as well as some of my leaders/supervisors are people I can learn lessons from since some of them are University students, I always feel welcomed to ask them questions and build connections in that way. Of course there are so many other goals such as learning more about the working environment which are all goals that I believe i will achieve working at U+. 


What interactions or collaborations with colleagues or supervisors stood out to you this week? How did these interactions enhance your understanding of the workplace and the industry?

A few interactions with colleagues that stood out to me this week were my team and I since we were trying to prepare for a presentation about some of the things we have been doing. This helped me understand the workplace and the industry since I was able to get a feel for what it felt like to be collaborating with others working on a project. It is sometimes hard in the real world to be able to work with people without much experience so the fact that this co-op position was able to give me some experience working with others has been helpful since I will get the first hand experience.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *