<commit_before>
---
layout: post
title:  A Summer of Data at Opower
---

![alt text](http://princeton-data-science.github.io.github.io/blog_pictures/Matilin_Anna/anna1.png)


###*What is a data science internship in Silicon Valley like?*

<p>I finished my summer internship at Opower a few weeks ago, where I was an engineering intern on the Data Science team. Opower is a tech company that works with utilities to encourage consumers to save energy through behavioral science. Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia, where there about 400 employees, and the second office is located in San Francisco, where there are about 200. Opower filed for an IPO in 2014, so I would call it a small-midsize company as opposed to a startup. </p>

![alt text](http://princeton-data-science.github.io.github.io/blog_pictures/Matilin_Anna/anna2.png)

When I accepted the offer to work at Opower, it was mid-January and I had just finished taking my last final. I had applied to a program called [KPCB Fellows](http://kpcbfellows.com/), 
<span style="color:green">APPLY!!!</span>) with a tip from a friend who was a Fellow last year, and I knew it would be an exciting summer. So, I took the plunge.


###**Location**
San Francisco, tech capital of the world. I had been to SF before for 5 days through an amazing program called [Square College Code Camp for women in engineering] (https://squareup.com/code-camp/college, <span style="color:green">APPLY!!!</span>) but I had done little sightseeing and I didn’t feel like I knew the city at all. My first big challenge before starting was finding a place to live, which required me to learn all the neighborhoods and their respective vibes. The Opower office was in South of Market (SOMA), a neighborhood densely packed with startup offices. I knew that I wanted to live in the Mission, which is full of energy and young professionals. However, the Mission is also the ultimate example of skyrocketing [SF rent and gentrification] (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/23/us/high-rents-elbow-latinos-from-san-franciscos-mission-district.html). It took me months of searching, but I finally managed to find an apartment that I could afford. Last summer, I stayed in NJ, so living on my own on the other side of the country was an exciting prospect!

![alt text](http://princeton-data-science.github.io.github.io/blog_pictures/Matilin_Anna/anna3.png)

<p>I believe that a summer in SF is really what you make of it. My friends and I took full advantage of what the city and the Bay Area had to offer: outings to Dolores Park, free concerts, <NAME>, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, food festivals, visits to Berkeley and Stanford, Sunday evenings on the beach, and numerous free events for tech interns (dinner was often free through one event or another). There are endless ways to meet new, extremely interesting people. I made a point of walking to places whenever I could so that, by the end, I felt like I could find my way anywhere.</p>

###**Office Space**

<p>The first thing I noticed about Opower was the office, which had an open floor plan. This is pretty common in SF and Silicon Valley in general. Coming in, I didn’t expect to like the open floor plan because of the lack of privacy. I also noticed that the floor was completely lined with these massive windows that let in copious amounts of sunlight. That was a huge plus. Also, it aligned with Opower’s mission of energy efficiency. There was a hum around the office- people were definitely working and not just hanging out. Yet there was still lots of evidence that people liked to have fun; the ironic Justin Bieber cardboard cutout in one pod or the comprehensive collection of Keanu Reeves posters by mine. There were happy hours on Fridays. However, I haven’t yet mentioned the #1 perk of the Opower office: the kitchen.</p><commit_msg>added anna's blog post to blog page<commit_after>---
layout: post
title: A Summer of Data at Opower
---

![alt text](http://princeton-data-science.github.io.github.io/blog_pictures/Matilin_Anna/anna1.png)


###*What is a data science internship in Silicon Valley like?*

<p>I finished my summer internship at Opower a few weeks ago, where I was an engineering intern on the Data Science team. Opower is a tech company that works with utilities to encourage consumers to save energy through behavioral science. Its headquarters are in Arlington, Virginia, where there about 400 employees, and the second office is located in San Francisco, where there are about 200. Opower filed for an IPO in 2014, so I would call it a small-midsize company as opposed to a startup. </p>

![alt text](http://princeton-data-science.github.io.github.io/blog_pictures/Matilin_Anna/anna2.png)

When I accepted the offer to work at Opower, it was mid-January and I had just finished taking my last final. I had applied to a program called [KPCB Fellows](http://kpcbfellows.com/), 
<span style="color:green">APPLY!!!</span>) with a tip from a friend who was a Fellow last year, and I knew it would be an exciting summer. So, I took the plunge.


###**Location**
San Francisco, tech capital of the world. I had been to SF before for 5 days through an amazing program called [Square College Code Camp for women in engineering] (https://squareup.com/code-camp/college, <span style="color:green">APPLY!!!</span>) but I had done little sightseeing and I didn’t feel like I knew the city at all. My first big challenge before starting was finding a place to live, which required me to learn all the neighborhoods and their respective vibes. The Opower office was in South of Market (SOMA), a neighborhood densely packed with startup offices. I knew that I wanted to live in the Mission, which is full of energy and young professionals. However, the Mission is also the ultimate example of skyrocketing [SF rent and gentrification] (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/23/us/high-rents-elbow-latinos-from-san-franciscos-mission-district.html). It took me months of searching, but I finally managed to find an apartment that I could afford. Last summer, I stayed in NJ, so living on my own on the other side of the country was an exciting prospect!

![alt text](http://princeton-data-science.github.io.github.io/blog_pictures/Matilin_Anna/anna3.png)

<p>I believe that a summer in SF is really what you make of it. My friends and I took full advantage of what the city and the Bay Area had to offer: outings to Dolores Park, free concerts, <NAME>, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, food festivals, visits to Berkeley and Stanford, Sunday evenings on the beach, and numerous free events for tech interns (dinner was often free through one event or another). There are endless ways to meet new, extremely interesting people. I made a point of walking to places whenever I could so that, by the end, I felt like I could find my way anywhere.</p>

###**Office Space**

<p>The first thing I noticed about Opower was the office, which had an open floor plan. This is pretty common in SF and Silicon Valley in general. Coming in, I didn’t expect to like the open floor plan because of the lack of privacy. I also noticed that the floor was completely lined with these massive windows that let in copious amounts of sunlight. That was a huge plus. Also, it aligned with Opower’s mission of energy efficiency. There was a hum around the office- people were definitely working and not just hanging out. Yet there was still lots of evidence that people liked to have fun; the ironic Justin Bieber cardboard cutout in one pod or the comprehensive collection of Keanu Reeves posters by mine. There were happy hours on Fridays. However, I haven’t yet mentioned the #1 perk of the Opower office: the kitchen.</p>
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