I won a foosball tournament.

Not something I thought I’d say when I started my 10 week internship as an Application Developer Intern at Kahua.

As I went into the summer, ready to start my first corporate job, I really didn’t know what to expect. I’m happy to say that it was a great experience.

I wanted to share some of my favorite moments and takeaways that might help you get the most out of whatever opportunities that come your way!

Where You Work Matters, Who You Work With Matters More

The first thing that really stood out to me at Kahua was the people working there. From the very first day, I was met with nothing but kindness and enthusiasm from everyone I spoke with.

The biggest surprise to me, was how easy it was to get in contact with higher ups at the company. And, people weren’t just available, they wanted to talk and share advice. At the coffee machine, during lunch, scheduled chats, whatever it was, people wanted to help.

I got to talk to the CEO, President, VPs, and many more at Kahua over the summer. All of them had great insights, but one sentiment rang true from all of them. The people you work with matter. It makes a huge difference to walk into work everyday with folks you enjoy being around.

Not every company gives you the opportunity to have a presentation workshop with the CEO, or a one on one with the VP of rev growth, and those moments really stuck with me.

Be Curious

No company hires an intern to revolutionize their business.

Internships are as much a resource for students as they are for companies. One thing that Kahua really emphasized as a key part of the internship was our growth as young professionals. We weren’t just there to do menial tasks or get coffee. Our learning was an integral piece of the puzzle.

So take advantage of that opportunity to learn as much as possible! Ask questions, then ask some more questions.

I really realized this summer that I know a lot less about my future career path than I thought. But, as a twenty year old college student, I think that’s a good thing. Taking the time to get advice from people who are much further along in their careers really helped me start to discern what I want my career to look like.

Foosball

To be completely honest, I thought working would be a bit of a slog. And while an office job certainly isn’t the most thrilling thing in the world, as the summer progressed I found myself enjoying my days more and more.

I got assigned more and more engaging work and felt like I was actually making a real difference, however small, in the company. On top of that, I started making real bonds with my coworkers.

Every single day I’d look forward to our post lunch foosball matches, a small routine that made the day that much better.

Work does not have to be a place you dread returning to every morning. Working at a place with a culture that allows for after work pickleball, or an end of internship foosball tournament is awesome.

So, thank you to Kahua, and I will forever live on as the 2026 Kahua Foosball Champ.