Everything has to end one day!
I've been contemplating this entry ever since I quit this June 29th. But going to my manager's lunch treat today, meeting my team (read: first team) once again and talking with them just brought back the last 2 years of my life in a flash before my eyes. I very well remember the first day I entered the Cognizant office wearing what u call the 'Official Formal attire' - with the suit, tie, cuff links and all. Everyone stared at me as if I had just gotten down from an UFO :P Now when I think of that moment, I realize why!
Right from then till now, my experience has been one hell of a roller coaster ride (forgive me for the clichéd expression) To be frank, it just felt like a continuation of college! What, with almost half your class entering Cognizant and to think that you have to look at the same faces which you’ve already been looking at for 4 years, things don’t really seem all that new. The only difference was, you’d get caught at College for bunking classes but nobody asks u that during Office training sessions because it’s a ‘professional’ environment :P
What made my stay at CTS memorable was the team I got :) They were all as intelligent ( or idiotic, nonsense characters) as myself and that helped us bond easier :) I still remember the times we used to get together and write blogs for the Company blogging portal, how we used to get together and plan devious things to get back at ‘certain’ people and how we spent the mornings waiting for lunch and how we spent the post-lunch sessions sleeping :D
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| MY TEAM!!! :) |
I thought that once my training got over, I was ruined and would have to work with serious looking managers and team leads, be all grumpy grumpy and stuff. But the project members whom I worked with just made life a whole lot easier for me. And here I am, not knowing how these two years flew by. How many late night stays at office, tight deadlines, long duration client calls and board-room meetings – all this would’ve been a hell-hole had it not been for my office buddies :)
There are so many things that I can keep talking about. So many stories to recollect and so many wonderful moments I’ve had here. Thank you guys for everything. You made my life worthwhile at Cognizant Technology Solutions :)
Love,
Karthik Venkatachalapathi
P.S: A special mention to my fellow busy office buddies who gave me company at the Table Tennis room during the last couple of months at office :D