From Minnesota to Bangalore: My First Week with Studio 33!



Your blogger for the month!

Greetings, happy Friday, and welcome to Studio 33’s little corner of the internet! My name is Mariah Wika, and I will be guest-writing Studio 33’s blog for the month of January. I am an American student from Minnesota, and I am currently in my 3rd year at Gustavus Adolphus College. One of Studio 33’s fearless leaders, Siddarth Selvaraj, attended Gustavus many moons ago (sorry Sid) and wanted to find a way to stay connected to his alma mater and give a current student a unique opportunity. So, after significant pondering, planning, and a 36 hour journey, I left the tundra of Minnesota and arrived in Bangalore. I am incredibly grateful to be here, and I can’t wait to share my experiences with you over the next few weeks!

 

On Monday morning, I climbed the stairs to our office… I was experiencing those typical jitters that always seem to accompany firsts - first days of school, first dates, and in this case, the first day of work. Upon arriving at the office, I quickly learned that it’s nearly impossible to be nervous when you’re surrounded by cheerfully painted yellow, orange, and green walls. And you know how some offices have impressive conference rooms that house intense debates and suit-clad employees? Well, Studio 33 has a cozy corner of bean bag chairs. Last, but not least, where you might imagine filing cabinets brimming with stuffy information, there’s a massive fish tank.  It’s an unconventional and completely creative space, which I soon learned is perfect for this team.

 

Studio 33 - complete with its fish tank and office dog, Bailey.



After one week with my colleagues, I have yet to find something that they cannot do. They answer my incessant questions, patiently teach me editing software, order bland food for my Scandinavian stomach, kindly explain how to work appliances, and they film, design, edit, and work in a fiendishly talented way. Their ability to juggle dozens of tasks at once is impressive - if a career in media fails, they’d fit in perfectly at the circus ;) I hopped out of the nest right away on day one and am currently working on a wedding video, social media strategy, and future plans for Studio 33 Impact.

 

The month ahead is bound to be an exciting one, and we hope you’ll join us for the ride!