I often find it difficult to put words to who I am. I’ve been on this earth for a mere twenty years and almost certainly have next to no understanding of who I am yet. Something that has definitely helped me try is my long-term life goal. Since high school, I’ve stacked all my chips on communication and argumentation. These two equally apply to my personal, academic, and professional lives.

Personally, I want to get people excited about things they had no idea could be interesting. I love trivia, and I love influencing others to be curious. This experience in Berlin brought curiosity to a new level. I had to work around both language and cultural barriers, which took my speaking practice to a new level. Not only that, but the discomfort of being put in a new environment encouraged me to be more comfortable with rejection.My project was quite successful, and I was thrilled with the people I met, though volunteer work is sometimes very difficult to market. 

 It was also personally interesting to learn how to adapt to a new city. I know the intricacies of the Pittsburgh transit, but it was especially foundational for me to adapt in a new environment. Learning more about city lying. Accordingly, I have personally benefited from a stronger sense of confidence, global perspective, and adaptability.

Academically, I feel much more satisfied with my courseload. After working nearly 60 hours a week at times, philosophy classes should be far less taxing. This experience also forced me to improve my time management and organization skills. I’ve found that sticking to my schedules has been easier than if I had developed these skills outside of a work environment.

When I return to Pitt in August, I plan to channel the same energy I put into my work into my academic efforts. Not only that, but I will also apply the time management strategies I learned in Berlin to my classwork. In Berlin, I noticed that I was only productive for about three hours a day—yet during those three hours, I completed roughly 90% of my daily work. I began to find this burst-style workload much more effective than my usual assembly-line approach back home.

Overall, these efforts have been intellectually fruitful and, hopefully, will prove academically beneficial as well—though we’ll see once I return home.

The program offered a multitude of takeaways. To name a few key lessons: proper communication saves teamwork, directness is best, and work should end at 5 PM.

When I arrived in Berlin, my team had a very disjointed structure. My boss and I designed what we believed would be the most effective new framework for the company. Implementing it truly highlighted the value of a well-organized corporate hierarchy.

Another major takeaway was the German approach to communication. In the U.S., we tend to beat around the bush in professional settings, which often leads to internal misunderstandings and unresolved conflicts. In Germany, however, colleagues address issues directly—clearly stating when work is insufficient or poorly executed. I thrived under this kind of feedback. Instead of harboring passive-aggressive tensions, Germans unwind with their coworkers over happy hour. Feierabendbier became a cherished tradition with my colleagues—a cultural ritual that brings everyone together after work.

I loved immersing myself in a new city, particularly one whose cultural traits I could bring back home.

I plan to bring these lessons back to Pitt by applying the same principles of communication with my fellow students. In Berlin, I discovered what a healthy dose of professional honesty looks like, and now I want to establish that balance back home to strengthen systems and optimize workflows.

Beyond academics, I’m committed to dedicating more time to life outside work and school. The LSAT has dominated my time until September, but once it’s finally behind me, I look forward to reviving the hobbies I had to set aside during my Berlin experience.

One key lesson I’m taking to heart: work should end at 5 PM. Back home, I often get consumed by deadlines, but I hope to apply the prioritization skills I developed in Berlin to maintain better boundaries.

I’ll admit I struggle with separating my career ambitions from my personal identity – though this overlap does have its advantages. Moving forward, I aim to create healthier divisions between my responsibilities. Paradoxically, this separation might actually improve my professional abilities, particularly in client relations. While anxiety (especially fear of rejection) remains challenging, my Berlin experience has left me feeling genuinely excited to confidently promote my skills when needed.

Officially, this is the end of the blog, though I appreciate all who read along 🙂

Always,

Alistair