My internship position is remote from my home in Lexington, Kentucky. Still, my duty office is in Washington, D.C. This is my first remote position. It was definitely an adjustment that I have learned to love! Remote work has its pros and cons. Of course, working alone can be a little lonely, and you miss out on those everyday social interactions that you may overlook while working in a traditional setting. Remote work forces you to make extra effort to socialize with co-workers and makes building professional relationships a little more challenging. Luckily, my whole team works remotely, so we are all in the same boat. My supervisor goes out of her way to make me feel just as supported as I would if I were reporting to an office every day, and our daily Zoom calls make me feel like I know everyone already. We have a team travel meet-up planned for September, and I am so excited to meet all of my “cyber friends” in person. 

Though remote work can be a little weird and isolating, it also has a ton of perks. Nothing makes me happier than spending my days with my sleepy dog beside me. Before working remotely, I would feel guilty about leaving my pet at home ( I can’t be alone in feeling this way, right?!). Still, he supports me daily, and sometimes he even tries to help. It is just adorable, and I love it! Can anyone else relate to working remotely with a pet? Has it changed your life in any way? I am not against returning to a traditional workplace, but it will take some time for my little buddy to get used to being alone again. For now, I hope to continue to work remotely and connect with my co-workers on trips and other meet-up opportunities.