The Perks of Being a Dreamer

Friday July 12, 2019

Written by: Kryza Talavera
Featured image by: Kryza Talavera

School teaches you many things, math, reading, writing, and that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell; however, what school doesn’t teach you about is real life. There is only so much you can learn about how to interact with people from a book. So if you’re up for a challenge, learning in an unorthodox environment, and want to grow not only as a designer but also as a person, then Pixel Dreams is definitely the place for you!  

I will admit Toronto has TONS of design firms to choose from, so why should you choose Pixel Dreams? They are selective in who they choose to work in their company, but it also means that if they hire you, they were impressed and see you have a lot of potential. What makes them standout is their exceptional mentorship qualities. Sure, you’ll be reporting to a primary person, but later on you’ll realize that every team member becomes your mentor. You’ll learn an array of many different skills ranging from design, to project managing to even cooking skills! 

A fun fact to note is that Pixel Dreams was founded by a group of friends. At the beginning of your internship,  you may feel like an outsider because their bond is so close, it seems intimidating and unapproachable, but just like elementary school,  once you make the effort to get to know them and show your interest in learning and what they do, you practically become one of them. The work environment is so fun and familial that you feel as though you’ve gained new siblings and with that comes a workplace that is always lively and filled with a ton of laughter, especially from Sarah. 

Now, if you know me, you know I love plants; and like a plant, I thrive in places that are warm, full of light and foster growth, Pixel Dreams is exactly that. Throughout my internship, I’ve experienced nothing but encouragement, support and teamwork. Here, you’ll also be constantly learning something new; whether it’s through taking on new projects, assisting a team member, taking part in meetings or shadowing another team member.  Projects are always considered team efforts, so you’ll never have to worry about doing something alone. 

After interning at Pixel Dreams for about 4 months now, I can say that I’ve definitely changed and learned a lot. Throughout my internship I’ve acquired professional and personal skills in innovative ways. For example, I’ve become increasingly more comfortable presenting because we have “Weekly Heartbeats” where everyone on the team talks about how their weekend went and what we’re looking forward to in the week. By the end of the week we have another round of presentations where everyone quickly discusses what they learned, relearned, and who they’re proud of on the team. Phone anxiety? Forgotten all about it, since the phone is literally thrust upon you. I still slip up from time to time (like answering the phone as “Hi, this is Kryza from Pickle Dreams) but now I just grab the phone automatically.

Overall, I would say I had an awesome time interning at Pixel Dreams and love coming in everyday. Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” I definitely chose the right job, it was more so I chose the right workplace.

 

*Translations of Japanese text in Blog Image*

Kasei (bottom left): noun for growth, metamorphosis and change

Shikkari to shita mejirushi, yume mitsukete makezuni ganbarou (middle): I’ll do my best to find my dreams and goals

Kaizen (top right):  a Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices, personal efficiency, etc. As well as working toward the good of the whole team.

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