Seventeen Days and Counting...

Hello!

As you probably know (since you've decided to read my blog), I'm spending the summer in Des Plaines, IL, for my internship. I will be working for Abbott Laboratories doing "quality engineering". I still have no idea what that means, but I'm sure that I will find out real quickly!

I just wanted to keep all of my friends and family updated while I am across the country hopefully having an amazing summer experience!

I leave in seventeen days, and start work in eighteen. I am heading home the day after finals, and I get one day at home, before I head out to Chicago. I'm so excited!

How did I end up getting a job in Illinois, you may ask? Well, I have a good story to tell! In October, I was at the Cal Poly Career Fair, where I got an interview with Abbott....unfortunately, I was leaving THAT NIGHT for the Society of Women Engineers National Conference, so I couldn't interview. So, they arranged for me to interview at the National Conference, where they had some of their HR reps. The next night, in Long Beach, CA at the conference, I approached the Abbott table at the career fair and chatted with one woman about Abbott and possibilities for an interview. I think she must have really not liked me, and I wasn't offered an interview....I was crushed. So, I decided to head back the next morning to their booth, and talked to a different representative. This time, I got the interview! I interviewed that afternoon, and thought that it went great.

I didn't hear from Abbott for SIX WEEKS! I had pretty much given up all hope of a job with them, when I got a phone call in late November. I got the internship! While I didn't find out until the end of March where I was actually going (honestly, I thought I was going to end up in Temecula, CA), I didn't care. I HAD A JOB! When I found out Illinois -- man, that was interesting.

So here I am. I'm getting ready to leave California in seventeen days, and I am so excited that I don't have room for nervousness. I did a little bit of online shopping tonight in preparation for having to dress nice every single day (and, I reasoned, it was a birthday present to myself -- the big 22!) and I need to get more stuff in order.

Oh, and Abbott is definitely taking care of me. They arranged my flight out to Chicago, my housing (I'm living in a flipping Marriott for the summer!! What?!?!), and my transportation to and from work. I couldn't have asked for a better company to intern for!

Right now, I'm focusing on finishing my last week and half of spring quarter (18 units this quarter -- it's been killing me!), defining my thesis project, finishing up my work as Cal Poly Society of Women Engineers President (can you believe it's been a year since I took office? I can't. And -- exciting stuff, SWE headquarter are in Chicago!), and getting through four finals. Then......Illinois!

I'll surely updated more as life gets more exciting, but for now, this is my last post as a 21 year old. The big 2-2 is tomorrow!

Lesley