Yes, that's an actual tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. He lives near my office. The title of the post is a line from the Radiohead song, Palo Alto, 'In the city of the future, it is difficult to concentrate'. Ever since getting to San Francisco, I've felt a bit out of it; not sleeping well, tired all day, lethargic. I suppose there is an element of reverse culture shock; it's pretty strange going from rainy, cold Oxford and the life of a full-time student to working on the sprawling campus of a .com giant. Also, I've been slow to get my footing in my internship, since my role is so unstructured. However, I think the main cause of my lethargy is just living is this nebulous, rootless purgatory that is hotel life. I really miss having a sense of home, of putting down roots and building a life, of being engrained in the fabric of a place, knowing and being known. At Oxford I had my classmates and was too busy to miss home, but here in my hotel, in an endless sea of office parks, I really miss the comforts of being close to those I love. I shouldn't complain too much though. My whole summer will be filled with trips to see my fiance, family, and friends. This is really a unique opportunity to experience a new environment, build some new relationships, and prepare for post-MBA life. If only I was awake to enjoy it.
