An Update on Life & Such
Hello - long time no speak.
I'm just checking in for my bi-yearly entry, it seems, because a lot has been going on and it's worthy of an entry for once. So first things first, I graduated in May, and it honestly feels like forever ago now. It was tough to leave that behind, and it's been an interesting adjustment to realize I won't be returning there or being a college student anymore, but I'm very proud of the 4 years I spent there and all the great friendships I made there and I do miss it quite a bit. Lukcily for the internet, it's easy to say hi from time to time and catch up with our friends no matter where they are in the country, and so it's been a bit of an easier adjustment.
So as a colelge graduate, I am officially a full-time adult now which is kinda crazy, but life has been going well I'd say. I'd been pretty, shall I say, disinterested in the whole job process as I considered what path I wanted to take - did I really want to do accounting? Go back to school? Need time to myself before I did anything? Anyways as soon as I graduated I kind of caught my breath for a bit which was much needed. There was a tax related job with New York State I was interested in pursuing and I had an interview in early June for that - I mean, I did well at the interview for my part and I was offered the job, but oh my god the job was nothing like what I imagined and the people were annoying/ugly/boring/miserable and the atmosphere of the office was just as bad, and I knew it wasn't right and turned them down.
As it turned out, it was the best choice I ever could've made. I got a call from a recruiter with Deloitte & Touche, which is one of the big 4 accounting firms, about a job as an Independence Auditor in Conencticut. I was flattered but wasn't really convinced by the phone call at first, but I did more research and got more information on the job and I decided to pursue it. I was intimidated by public accounting with such a big firm - you hear about the long hours, politics, travel etc and it was something I didn't think I wanted. Well, this job opportunity had everything I wanted - it is in an office setting, it is 40 hours a week like a normal job, and there's no travel whatsoever besides the 35 minute commute to get there. I went for my interview a nervous wreck - it turns out the position I was applying for - an Independence Auditor (more on that later) was a job where they had NEVER hired someone right out of school for. I went for the interview, and met with three different people at various levels in the office, and I loved, loved, loved it right away -- I just knew I wanted to work there. Everyone was very warm and interested in what I had to say, and I felt like I connected with everyone I interviewed with, which made it a much better experience than the previous Tax trainwreck I encountered. Long story short, I was offered the job two days later and I took it!
So, I've been an Independence Auditor since July. I love it! It's more of an internal role within the firm. We audit people at the manager and above level (mostly partners) to make sure they do not hold investments or interests with firm clients that could potentially impact their personal independence and the firm. It might sound confusing, but that's the easiest way I can explain it. We have them complete audit packages in which they send their Tax Returns, Brokerage Statements, Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds etc and I have to analyze the statements and make sure everything checks out and is not a problem for them based on both firm policy and SEC (Government) law. It's more complicated than I'm making it out to be, but that's the gist of it, really. I have about 10 audits at a time I work on and it involves a lot of communication with people within the firm nationwide, and a lot of research and analysis so I feel like I'm really accomplishing something and learning a lot. It's a great first job - not something I will do for the next 50 years - but a great starting point as I build experience and skills for the future, and it's money!
Everyone I work with is awesome - that's probably the best part. Everyone is genuinely friendly and nice and great to be around, and we have a lot of fun. There's lots of social things going on too - we had a summer outing at the local country club in my second week there, we have a holiday party coming up, we have cake for birthdays every month and lots of other things. I've also added my own contribution! Barbara, who is like the funniest person I've ever met in my life and sits across from me, we've really connected and we used to take lunch out on the porch and play cards. Everyone who would walk by could see us (there's tons of windows) and laugh and whatever but we've expanded our clique! We now have UNO Fridays, which might sound juvenile or whatever, but it's so fun - it's something I created and it's really taken a life of its own. It's quite amusing because it can get heated in a friendly way and everyone talks trash and it's a riot. We get together for lunch within the group and we had 10 people last time (which is most of my department) and people in other parts of the office want to get in on it! I even send Microsoft Outlook 'Meeting' Invitiations every week with humor and everyone gets a kick out of it, so it's really helped me find my niche and connect with everyone I work with.
Anyhoo, as I have a job, I FINALLY bought a car for myself! I got a new 2007 Toyota Rav4 (it's been so long that I've LJed it that I can't figure out how to insert an image, so whatever, go google it if you are unfamiliar) and it's silver and I love it. Of course, it means I have bills now, and it's a reminder that I've become an adult. I always felt, not like a loser, but just behind because all my friends in school had cars (whether used or new) and I never did so it's nice jus tto catch up, I guess. I also had an unreasonable phobia of highway driving that I had to conquer when I get my job, and I feel like such a fool for ever being intimidated by it now, so that's good too and I'm happy about that too. I hate local driving now!
And so besides that, the other piece of news is that I am moving out! It wasn't something that was even on my radar to be honest - it's only been 4 months since I've been working and only about 6 since i've been out of school. The backstory is that my brothers are like 90 and still live at home (granted they left for about 3 months and 2 years each) and they found an apartment in New Rochelle (shoutout to you, Anna!) and it's 3 bedrooms/3 bath and affordable and I would've been the holdout if they said no! I think my Mom would've killed me if I said no and they would be staying longer. Haha, but seriously, even though I wasn't sure at first I decided to take the chance and do it. We move in Jan 19th so it's a bit more time to save... with all my car payments and insurance and student loans, money is going to be so tight once I move in but I know it's a big step I have to take and it'll be good for me... plus, it's only a year. So I'm really looking forward to that.
Anyways sorry for the fricken novel I just wrote, and I probably bored you to tears but I promise my next entry in 2009 will be livlier and with more humor and such!