Hey!

I’m back. I have been really busy on placement. It has been really fun, but loads of work. I am a software engineering intern at Microsoft based in London at the Lift studio. I am working on a new windows app that will be deployed on all windows machines! That is pretty much all the information I can give because it has not been announced yet. It is very exciting stuff though.

I feel like I have absolutely scored on my placement. I have the best manager who is very willing to help me, a team that is so talented and hilarious, an office that is the stuff of dreams, and a project that I feel very lucky to be a part of. It is certainly a steep learning curve as the language that it is in is C++ and I have only done a bit of it. However, I am getting the opportunity to look at some very advanced topics and try some new languages like the windows extension off C++ and XAML. It is really cool! I am in the middle of my fourth week and I already feel like my programming skills are improving.

One of my favorite parts is seeing how the whole process works on a professional level. I like going to meetings, seeing how different teams interact within the project, and learning practices that the pros use.

I started by easing myself into the code by working on some smaller bugs. I wasn’t pressured for time and it gave me a great opportunity to get to know the various processes that are involved in checking out code, editing it, and checking it back into the main branch. I also needed to get to know a massive code base. These past two weeks I have been working on critical path features, meaning my code will be used in the final project and is needed by the rest of the team. It is pretty cool to be included as a full time employee and given real responsibility.

Besides work, it has been amazing exploring London. We are based in Oxford Circus, so there is so much to see and do just around the office. I love this street food market a couple blocks away. I get Thai food for like £4. We went to Regents Park for lunch the other day and sat out in the sun. It is amazing. The office also has connections to other businesses in the area. One is the CGI company that has worked on movies like Gravity, The Martian, Paddington, and Tarzan! We were invited to a film showing of Tarzan at their private showing where we were served wine/beer and some really great food before going into their own theatre. It was pretty cool! In August we have a company party at Kensington Roof Gardens. It looks amazing. They spoil us 😉

That’s all for now! Speak to you all soon. If you have any questions, email me!

Holly