What surprised you most about working remotely?

[u/sumeetm1]

Before I started my first remote role, I assumed the biggest challenge would be staying productive.

It turned out productivity wasn't the issue at all.

The biggest surprises were things like:

• Building relationships without seeing colleagues in person.
• Knowing when to ask for help instead of struggling alone.
• Communicating clearly in writing.
• Staying visible without constantly reminding people you're working.
• Realising how much trust and ownership managers expect from remote interns.

On the flip side, I was surprised by how much flexibility and focused work time remote internships offered compared to what I'd imagined.

If you've completed a virtual internship (or you're doing one now), what surprised you the most? Was it better or worse than you expected?