A year ago an Intern started in our team at work (a university student who takes a year out part way through their course to work in a real environment). He drove me loopy.  To start with I wondered if that was how it felt to have a little brother.  Then I realised I was almost (not quite!) old enough to be his mum…and I felt really old.

I’ve got used to him over the last year.  It’s been like having an entertaining Tigger-like presence in the office and I’m going to miss him – today was his last day.  I’ll miss the round of applause he gives each member of the team when they come back to their desk from a meeting, getting a drink, the toilet….  I’ll miss the teasing that he was so good at.  And I’ll miss the insight into the mind of a 21 year old…actually, some of that I won’t!  I will miss seeing his words of motivation and notes though. 

This appeared on his desk early on:

And notes like these followed on team desks on a regular basis:

He wrote his years achievements out and put them on display.  These included:

• Carrying four glasses of water at once
• Fitting three golf balls in his mouth at once
• Finishing a pint of diet coke in thee seconds

A few weeks back we asked him what was the most important thing he’d learned while being an Intern.  We expected some sort of business related gem but his answer was:

‘To keep women in their 30’s happy, provide food.  Preferably chocolate’.

Ben, our work here is done.  I’m going to miss you and your biceps a lot ;o)