“So, I hear it’s your last day at work today?”
“Yeah. I’m leaving soon and I move to Waterloo on Sunday.”
“Sunday?”
“Mmmhmm. Classes start Monday.”
“Which program are you in?”
“Computer Engineering, 4th year – just entering 4A”
“I used to be an EE at Waterloo – undergrad and masters.”
“No kidding! How was the masters degree?”
“Don’t do it.”
[questioning expression]
“You become overqualified. You’ll find that it closes a lot of doors.”
[processing…processing…]
“Besides, I hate Waterloo.”
“I hear you man. Can’t stand living there myself.”
“Bought a car in the first year of university. 100K. By the end of university, I’d put in 390K – and all that was commuting to Toronto and back.”
[laughs]
“I wish I had a car with which to escape.”
“If I had to stay in Waterloo full-time I’d slit my wrists. I f***ing hate the place.”
[A sentiment after my own heart]
“As it was, doing the masters down there was brutal. 2 years – no coop. Can you imagine that?”
“Don’t have to. Don’t want to.”
“Felt like committing suicide. Started to leave every weekend – the only way to stay sane.”
Last minute conversations on the job…