Bay Area Summer, and the Best Friends

Dragging my suitcase back into the apartment next to DCA, I realized a whole year had slipped by. The leftover warmth of California sunshine was still on me when the East Coast heat and gray clouds hit all at once.

I spent the last few days of my August internship with friends. I was so glad to meet so many new people—and some really good friends—at ByteDance. We played board games and talked about the future. When ICE released its memo, the interns at the company immediately blew up. It happened to be last day, and we sat together figuring out what to do, huddling for warmth. It felt strangely special. If I had still been on my own, I probably would have just curled up at my desk, scrolling Xiaohongshu, waiting for the next update and letting the anxiety swallow me.

On the flight out of the Bay Area, my longing for a full-time offer almost hit its peak. Our little circle had undergrads, master's students, and a few PhDs. I was lucky that everyone I met was genuinely nice. We played Blood on the Clocktower. We went out for dinners. A friend who had just finished a late-night murder-mystery game would drive over, pick you up for a simple meal, and talk about nothing in particular. I never would have imagined something like that not long ago.

The internship itself was not that hard. The hardest part was actually the rebuttal load, and the pressure of rushing papers. But every day with friends felt like a vacation—easy and happy.

I hope that in a few months I can meet some of them again in the Bay Area. This past year in DC I kept my head down writing papers and stacking pubs, and I did not have many friends. I am grateful that this summer internship let me meet this group of the best people, and I hope things only get better for all of us.

2026 Bay Summer