Summer Associates 2014: Thoughts, Anxieties, Experiences... Forum

[Old Gregg]

And, to be sure, I'm probably one of the .5% here in this forum that likes his job even after a few years in. So if you sound like a tool to me, you probably sound like a toolshed to everyone else.

[brotherdarkness]

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[Old Gregg]

I strike a middle ground when I'm given an assignment at 5:00pm that requires me to work late or asked to work through the weekend. I don't whip out my pom-poms and jump for joy, but I don't act salty about it either. I smile and say thanks, then I put my head down and do my job. That's it.

And then you come here and bust out the pom-poms. Instead of choosing to annoy your coworkers, you choose to annoy TLS.

[Valley of the Deer]

And then you come here and bust out the pom-poms. Instead of choosing to annoy your coworkers, you choose to annoy TLS.

idk man, I'm not that annoyed. I don't think BD is jumping for joy anywhere ITT, though. People were freaking out and he was saying it's not that bad. I think he even called the last guy out for doing it (in a non-assholish way, mind you).

[brotherdarkness]

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[skers]

Bro, he's trying to give you career advice. But if you're going to be adamant about being a striver dork at least own it, and possibly make your own striver dork thread where you can go all-in about how awesome Saturday work is.

[El Pollito]

I strike a middle ground when I'm given an assignment at 5:00pm that requires me to work late or asked to work through the weekend. I don't whip out my pom-poms and jump for joy, but I don't act salty about it either. I smile and say thanks, then I put my head down and do my job. That's it.

And then you come here and bust out the pom-poms. Instead of choosing to annoy your coworkers, you choose to annoy TLS.

TBF, I sort of enjoy the awfulness.

[Valley of the Deer]

Bro, he's trying to give you career advice. But if you're going to be adamant about being a striver dork at least own it, and possibly make your own striver dork thread where you can go all-in about how awesome Saturday work is.

lol this can't be serious

[Old Gregg]

Bro, he's trying to give you career advice. But if you're going to be adamant about being a striver dork at least own it, and possibly make your own striver dork thread where you can go all-in about how awesome Saturday work is.

Exactly. And if he's gonna own it, he should be expected to be called out on shit when he says something stupid:

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll be sure to act bitter and sulk around the office tomorrow. I'm sure that'll make a much better impression than being enthusiastic.

Mine was direct deposit; I figured that was the norm.

[Old Gregg]

I strike a middle ground when I'm given an assignment at 5:00pm that requires me to work late or asked to work through the weekend. I don't whip out my pom-poms and jump for joy, but I don't act salty about it either. I smile and say thanks, then I put my head down and do my job. That's it.

And then you come here and bust out the pom-poms. Instead of choosing to annoy your coworkers, you choose to annoy TLS.

JFC dude, who shit in your cereal? This is precisely the place for us to vent our joys, frustrations, and anxieties. If you don't like it, stop reading it.

I like that you constantly think that I take this shit seriously or that I am venting or that I'm being frustrated. I'm literally on my couch, watching TV, posting on TLS and deciding whether to get up and take a dump.

[brotherdarkness]

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[Old Gregg]

You posted all that from a smartphone. Dedicated.

[NYSprague]

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll be sure to act bitter and sulk around the office tomorrow. I'm sure that'll make a much better impression than being enthusiastic.

Hey. wTf? I didn't suggest that at all. There is a middle ground. If you don't think associates can pick up on the attitude and cues of summer associates, to the extent they care, you are mistaken. If you are swaggering around because you are on a summer weekend project on a gorgeous weekend, people will notice. Not to mention your felluw SAs might be annoyed. You might think you aren't swaggering around, but don't assume that attitude doesn't seep through.

Another concern: an SA gets caught up in the workaholic culture at their own peril. This culture of not needing sleep and working all the time eventually grinds most people down. Not everyone, most people. Just a word of caution. Keep a careful eye on not being seduced into having your worth as an associate measure by how many all nighters or 300 hour moths you have.

On the other hand, if you don't want advice or suggestions of potential minefields, just say so.
I'm still on my final TLS project of figuring out the Ada.gov consent decree with lSac. So I can maybe help the September takers.

[brotherdarkness]

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[Old Gregg]

The summer associate program is a glorified networking period. Use this time to integrate with the people around you. If coworkers are going to a happy hour and ask if you can join it is better (a) to join them than (b) to stay in and be a gunner on some project.

You gain nothing by doing (b), and it's arguably harmful. No one will remember you once you leave and you will be back to square one once you returned.

Case in point: one summer pulled three successive allnighters for a deal. I know some people ITT will just get boners at the thought. But really, no one remembered him when he returned. Same associate remembered me because we got shithoused at a bar and hit it off while playing darts during the summer.

[deebanger]

zweitbester- since you are attorney, I thought I could ask you, do people at the workplace really roll their eyes when once in a while someone like brother darkness is too "over the top"? How can we know what the associates are really talking about us behind our backs?

[NYSprague]

Thanks for the advice guys! I'll be sure to act bitter and sulk around the office tomorrow. I'm sure that'll make a much better impression than being enthusiastic.

Hey. wTf? I didn't suggest that at all. There is a middle ground. If you don't think associates can pick up on the attitude and cues of summer associates, to the extent they care, you are mistaken.

Another concern: an SA gets caught up in the workaholic culture at their own peril. This culture of not needing sleep and working all the time eventually grinds most people down. Not everyone, most people. Just a word of caution. Keep a careful eye on not being seduced into having your worth as an associate measure by how many all nighters or 300 hour moths you have.

I was being sarcastic... I posted above about what I actually do--smile, say thanks, and do the work.

Is that an apology?

[Valley of the Deer]

The summer associate program is a glorified networking period. Use this time to integrate with the people around you. If coworkers are going to a happy hour and ask if you can join it is better (a) to join them than (b) to stay in and be a gunner on some project.

You gain nothing by doing (b), and it's arguably harmful. No one will remember you once you leave and you will be back to square one once you returned.

Case in point: one summer pulled three successive allnighters for a deal. I know some people ITT will just get boners at the thought. But really, no one remembered him when he returned. Same associate remembered me because we got shithoused at a bar and hit it off while playing darts during the summer.

Can non-SAs just not be ITT?

FFS. This is ridiculous. Are you seriously so bored with your own lives that you spend them arguing with summers?

Leave. Make your own "giving SAs advice" threads and give advice there. Stay out of this thread.

Edit: maybe this can just apply to z. I think that solves the problem.

[brotherdarkness]

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[NYSprague]

zweitbester- since you are attorney, I thought I could ask you, do people at the workplace really roll their eyes when once in a while someone like brother darkness is too "over the top"? How can we know what the associates are really talking about us behind our backs?

My firm, yes. But it lasts about a second, unless the kid is really unbearable. Can't tell how insufferable anyone is exactly from their posts, but my guess is the basic attitude spills over. You can't know what the associates really think about little stuff like that. I wouldn't lose sleep over it. I was just suggesting he tone it down.

[Old Gregg]

zweitbester- since you are attorney, I thought I could ask you, do people at the workplace really roll their eyes when once in a while someone like brother darkness is too "over the top"? How can we know what the associates are really talking about us behind our backs?

Yes, we do but briefly. You have to consider that maybe 5% of every associate class year contains a gunner or someone who relishes in that shit. But the other 95% are biding their time for the next step. To see someone be so eager is annoying. On top of that, over-eagerness leads you to do things that make associates pull you aside for a talk. This includes certain summers telling me not to give them busy-work and to let them to real, decisive work that partners would ask me to do, for example.

Just be normal. I don't get why it's so hard for people.

[bk1]

Can non-SAs just not be ITT?

FFS. This is ridiculous. Are you seriously so bored with your own lives that you spend them arguing with summers?

Leave. Make your own "giving SAs advice" threads and give advice there. Stay out of this thread.

Edit: maybe this can just apply to z. I think that solves the problem.

wat

People with far more knowledge than the SAs ITT are giving legitimate advice. On top of the fact that plenty of SAs have asked for advice in this very thread.

[sundontshine]

I strike a middle ground when I'm given an assignment at 5:00pm that requires me to work late or asked to work through the weekend. I don't whip out my pom-poms and jump for joy, but I don't act salty about it either. I smile and say thanks, then I put my head down and do my job. That's it.

Haven't you been working at a firm for like three weeks? What makes you the expert on weekend work? You really trying to act like you're this rockstar who is asked to work every weekend as an SA? (I know you are, but come on, the charade can end at some point. We are all friends here, and your posts in this thread have made me laugh out loud multiple times).

[deebanger]

I strike a middle ground when I'm given an assignment at 5:00pm that requires me to work late or asked to work through the weekend. I don't whip out my pom-poms and jump for joy, but I don't act salty about it either. I smile and say thanks, then I put my head down and do my job. That's it.

Haven't you been working at a firm for like three weeks? What makes you the expert on weekend work? You really trying to act like you're this rockstar who is asked to work every weekend as an SA? (I know you are, but come on, the charade can end at some point. We are all friends here).

yup BD, i get it your a gunner, and thats nothing wrong with it, its ok, but even attorneys who were former summer associates here are just feelign like you may be a little "over the top".

[brotherdarkness]

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