Week 3 was probably my best week so far. After being sick during Week 2, it felt amazing to finally feel normal again. No stomach pain, no naps in the middle of the day, no weird crackers-for-dinner situations. I had more energy, I could eat real food, and I actually felt excited to get out and do things. It felt like everything finally clicked this week.
One of the highlights of this week was trying a new burger place called Hoxton Burgers. I went there with a few friends one evening after work. We were all craving something simple and comforting, and burgers just sounded right. The place had a cool vibe—kind of modern but still chill. The menu was super solid, and I got a classic cheeseburger with fries. I know that doesn’t sound exciting, but after being sick the week before, it was a big deal for me to actually want a burger—and it was so good. Easily the best burger I’ve had since getting here. We all agreed we’d come back again soon.
The weekend was the best part of the week, though. A few friends and I took a trip to Kraków, Poland, and I absolutely loved it. The train ride wasn’t too long, and the view from the window was really pretty—lots of green fields, small towns, and trees. When we arrived, Kraków felt warm and welcoming right away. It had a really cool mix of old buildings, cobblestone streets, and fun places to explore. The city felt alive but not overwhelming.
We spent most of our time walking around the Old Town, which is full of cool little shops, street performers, and outdoor cafes. We stopped at the main square and watched a guy play accordion while pigeons flew all around him. It honestly felt like a movie scene. We grabbed snacks, walked around the castle area, and even found a few cute bookstores. I didn’t buy much, but just walking around and talking with everyone was great.
One of my favorite parts of the trip was meeting a few locals. We ended up chatting with some people at a café on Saturday night. They were super friendly and told us all about their favorite parts of Kraków, including places we hadn’t even thought to check out. They gave us directions to a small viewpoint near the river, and we ended up going there right before sunset. The view was beautiful, and we probably wouldn’t have found it without their help. It felt cool to connect with people who actually live there, even if it was just for a little bit.
We also had a lot of laughs during the trip. Someone in our group kept mixing up Polish words and accidentally said “thank you” when they meant “sorry,” which got a lot of confused looks. At one point we all got caught in a sudden rainstorm and ran under a café umbrella until it passed. Little moments like that made the weekend feel really fun and special.
So far during my internship at Ensemble, I’ve faced many situations where things weren’t very clear. Sometimes I didn’t have all the information I needed, the directions were confusing, or I wasn’t sure what the best way to move forward was. At first, this was a little frustrating. But over time, I realized that these challenges were actually helping me grow. Figuring out how to solve problems without being told exactly what to do made me more flexible and helped me think more carefully about my choices. These skills—being able to adapt and think critically—are really important in the financial services field, where things are always changing.
One big way I’ve learned to handle these challenges is by taking the initiative. Instead of waiting for someone to tell me exactly what to do, I tried to find answers on my own. For example, when I was asked to help with creating reports and key performance indicators (KPIs), I didn’t just wait for step-by-step instructions. I started by researching how other companies in the financial world create and organize their reports. I read about different ways firms design their dashboards and what kinds of metrics they use to measure success. I also practiced using tools like Google Sheets and Google Looker Studio to test different ways of showing the data clearly and in a way that made sense.
After creating a sample version, or prototype, I showed it to my supervisor and asked for feedback. I then made changes based on that feedback. This back-and-forth process—where I made something, reviewed it, and improved it—helped me feel more confident working through problems, even if I didn’t have all the answers right away. It taught me that it’s okay to figure things out step by step.
Overall, this week was an amazing one. I loved all the new experiences that I had and everywhere I saw. From trying new restaurants to going to Poland for the first time, I had an incredible time and have lots to look forward to in the weeks to come!