Work Place: Day 1: The Terror

Author: Swetha

The heavens had decided to pour down on Delhi. Not a good day to travel; definitely not a good day for the first day at work. I thought I would have to cut out a sorry figure in front of the “boss”. Little did I know what this place had in store for me.

The office is like a little apartment. Office felt like home. With a cup of coffee always ready to be made, this place is probably my ideal set up of an office. It was a dream come true. I never knew that offices like this actually existed. We probably didn’t have the concept of a boss. Everyone gathered around at lunch time, bright chatter was shared over steamed rice and hot rotis. There were signs of “ComMutiny” everywhere. Little posters, “thank you” cards from previous projects, bulletin boards filled with colourful post-its, chairs all around, foldable tables at every corner, dotted this little apartment.

I was made familiar with the workplace. There is limited information that one can acquire from handbooks and brochures. However, we didn’t aim for limited information. The whole idea was for me to figure out what I want. This space, the fifth space, wanted me to figure out what I want. How would an 18 year old feel if someone walked up to you and said, “I want you to figure out what you want in life. Here are the resources. Talk to people, get to know the field. Let us know how you feel. Oh, and there is coffee in the kitchen. Feel free to help yourself to some.”

I’ll tell you what it felt like. It felt like heaven.

The whole idea of this work place is: it is fine to be lost. To not be able to figure out what you need to do and, then, to acquire this path through exploration, is perfectly alright.

When I sat through a little ice breaker meeting, Aparna told me how she is still figuring out what she wants. What she is doing right now is very different from what I want to do. Well, if my guide during the meeting said she is still figuring things out, then I feel good!

A language that is spoken in common over here is that of ideas. Be it an intern or someone who has been working here for months together, ideas are something that is picked up from everyone. I am here to write. From the topic that I want to write, till the way that I want to write, I have been given a free reign. And all these goodies, just on the first day of office. So much more needs to be seen, and definitely much more that needs to be learnt. To put this place in a few words, I guess it would be apt to use a quote that is there on the main bulletin board, “Not all those who wander are aimless.” 

Could this be just the tip of the iceberg that they are calling ‘The 5^th Space’?