NGFs and Stuff...

Tomorrow -or, should I say "today", since it's 04:16 AM over here- will be my last day at Google....my last T.G.I.F ("Thank Google it's Friday"-  a day of the week where Larry Page and Sergey Brin themselves share business updates, and Googlers can ask questions related to company issues. This event is shown live globally via Google Hangout...but, of course, for a lot of Googlers who aren't based in Mountain View, TGIF is mainly about catching up with fellow Googlers over free alcohol,  and finger food).

If there's one thing I know for sure after having worked for Google, it must be the fact that it definitely has not prepared me for the so called "real world". Don't get me wrong, I don't mean thatI won't be equipped with great knowledge once I'm out of Google. What I mean is that my expectation and idea of what comprises a normal company culture will probably be completely off; From the "small things" that Google offers, such as free food (& alcohol on Fridays), to bigger things that affect feelings of autonomy in the work place, such as freedom to plan my own day,  and -as trivial as it sounds- freedom to wear absolutely whatever I want to work...those are just the few things that are perceived as normal at Google, but that I know isn't a given in other companies.

I remember that my cousin once commented: " I can't believe you're allowed to wear pink pants to work! ", which to me was such a weird comment. Why shouldn't I be able to wear pink pants to work? What does that have to do with anything? But, of course, I know that a lot of companies have a dress code, and that wearing pink pants in "the real world" doesn't exactly exude professionalism...

After 3.5 years with Google, where I've pretty much had no  NGFs (Non-Googler-Friends) - that's right, there's actually an abbreviation for that ! You think I'm joking, but I'm really not.. even my boyfriend became a Googler eventually, lol - it's definitely going to be weird to go back to "normal", where there is somewhat of a balance in time spent with friends from work, vs. non-work friends...

My mind is a  bit all over the place at this point, so, sorry for the  rant...but, this is all slowly starting to sink in with me, and I'm alternating between panic, anxiety, and excitement:

HOLy Fudge, did I really resign?!... 

How will life be like A.G (after Google)?! 

...I can't wait to join the new company!

Ok. So, I know that, in the big scheme of things (life),  this change may seem insignificant compared to what others may be going through in life at the moment..you know,  such as... re-producing and stuff (aka, having kids). But, I'm not at that stage in my life, yet. So, for now, please bare with me while I rant about random things :)  ...

Anyhow, I should probably try to get some sleep now.

Until next time!