Relationship with a deadline
Have you seen the love episode on Black Mirror — Hang the DJ? In that episode, pairs are given a match through their digital device with a place and time to meet. Then they are told to reveal their relationship’s expiry date — how long their relationship would last whether or not they like each other or not. Most of the time, you don’t want to know the expiry date of your relationship, and sometimes you do. In my case, I had a relationship with a deadline as an intern in Stockholm. My name is Ann Qi, and this is my 1-year story with Relate.
I am a Business Analyst intern that flew from Singapore to Stockholm in search of fulfiling entrepreneurship experience. I have always been passionate about watching love bloom — watching romantic shows and matching my friends up together. Relate was then a half-year-old start-up about finding like-minded romantic partners with whom you share similar values, visioning to be more data-driven. Relate wants to make better use of data to deliver quality matches through the mobile app. Talk about piecing things up; I saw then that our values have matched! It was the right company for my 1-year internship, and at the start of 2019, I took the leap and joined a mission I believe in.
Back then, I was entrusted with setting up the data structure in this half-year-old start-up with no prior experience. All the while preparing for our very first Launch party of the app! It was going to be official — people are going to be able to meet someone they share similar beliefs in over the app and fall in love with each other for who they are!
I have wonderful work experience with people who were trusting, inclusive and welcoming. I was terrified of fitting into a new culture and work environment when I started. But during the onboarding, it was made really clear to me that one of our values was:
Embrace your weirdness
Relate preaches us to be our authentic selves and be comfortable in who we are. I’ve nothing hidden up my sleeves working with them. The only downside, I’ve to deal with their unusual antics too. To list a few — Dag skating around the office in his pink roller skates, them wrongly saying Singlish, having my desk decorated in Halloween style and hearing the developers make up songs at the top of their heads (I’m lucky they are not too tone-deaf).
Working with the app was exciting, but working with the events was watching whatever we envision come to life.
One raving fan is better than 10000 who just likes us
At the events, the details gone to ensure that the attendees feel like they are in a safe space where they can open up and share their vulnerabilities is something that Relate strived to achieve; from the placement of the curtains allowing the right amount of light into the room, arranging the chairs in the right manner to encourage inclusive seating and moving the beanbags from the second floor down to create a cosy corner. It takes lots of courage to sign yourself up for a singles event, and therefore we need to match that level in terms of execution.
It takes a lot of preparation, and that’s always the tiring part, but the result is rewarding. Like any relationship, right? You need to know if the other party is worth the effort you pour into them, and the right ones give you the desire to do it all over again.
Of course, all relationships have their ups and downs. I have had to watch a close colleague leave to pursue his awesome artiste career and then open my heart to having new people join the team. In a start-up like Relate, we often reach and celebrate milestones, and we also struggle to find the best way to communicate and operate. As long as both entities try to work together to find that sweet spot, all problems can find a solution even if it takes time.
Now that my internship is coming to a close, I am grateful for everyone who has been a part of it. Relate has an awesome community of people who supports them, and me being a part of Relate got me engaged in this by this community. One of my favourite moments was marching down the Pride Parade back in Summer, distributing the Relate flyers and just soaking in the lovely and proud atmosphere that everyone surrounding had to offer. A lot of inclusivity and happiness from everyone.
My colleagues and this community that we’ve built together have been my greatest gift working here and the strongest glue in this relationship I have with Relate. As my time comes to an end, I learn to cherish every moment a bit more. I’d rather be super sad when I’m about to leave than try to distance my feelings before. Because they really make every feeling super worth it, and you know it deep in your intuition.
After I leave, Relate may grow and adapt to what fits it best, and knowing the company and the people, I know that they will do good and bring about a deeper understanding for the world out there. It is a relationship with a deadline, with a time period. But it will always be a relationship that will last forever in my heart.
All love, no fear,
Ann Qi
Relate App:
www.relate-app.com
Download the app on Sweden’s app stores now:
https://relate.app.link
Originally published at http://fiddlefoddle.wordpress.com on November 16, 2019.
