I knew the ivory tower design studio couldn–â„¢t prepare me for the fast-paced, client-driven, project-centric nature of a real firm. The quantum leap from student to professional was daunting, transformational, and would have been impossible without the skills and confidence I gained through my internship.

Compounding that transition were my expectations — I’m among the new generation of workers who (I’m told) are spearheading a dramatically changed working environment. Like other Gen Y newbies, I’m comfortable with tools and technologies that let me work from anywhere at anytime; I’m not, however, naturally oriented to the idea of a 9-5 workday complete with wearing gray suits, high heels, and hose each day.

So here I am, *fairly* confident in my design skills, and worrying instead about the social norms of a professional, corporate work environment. But now, I now understand how important it is to make sure a company’s culture is reflected in its workspace design.