This week was my first week back for Amazon’s return to office mandate, so I’m bringing you along for a cozy (and slightly rainy) week in downtown Vancouver. Amazon let a lot of us work remotely for about four years since 2020, but in September 2024—right before I started as a new grad—they announced the remote model was ending. I show what my first day back feels like, what the office vibe is like (honestly, it was pretty empty because everyone was still on holiday), and how I’m settling into assigned seating—yes, we lost the nice mountain view, but I did luck out with a window behind me. I also chat about the little realities of corporate life: writing peer reviews, planning my tasks so I can actually get to the part I love (coding), and learning all the work acronyms without embarrassing myself. I talk about how going into the office helps me separate work from life, because when I’m stuck on a problem I’ll literally keep thinking about it—sometimes even solving things in my sleep. And because I can’t help myself, I connect it all to Severance (one of my favorite shows ever) and the parallels between corporate incentives and leadership principles. To end the week on a warm note, I grab Korean comfort food with a friend, talk about making friends at work, and share a little Vancouver-to-Toronto office curiosity for what’s next.