weatherstorme

I thought ASU was software engineering, and not CS. However, they are very similar.

That's perfectly fine. Some people prefer to keep work at work. It is good to do though if you want to climb up and understand the politics at your office (which sucks). I'm also just a super social person, and kind of an outlier.

Water-cooler talk is a way to bond with others. Some of my greatest friends were made at work, and this talk happens when we want a break. Usually getting food, coffee, or going to work out. Water-cooler talk isn't only there to bad mouth management, but to make connections/friends.

Wish I enjoyed working remotely, but it drove me insane when I did it for 8 months. I was ignored, time zone differences sucked, actually need human interaction, and I needed guidance as a junior. It's 100% a culture thing, and if I ever do it again, then I'll make sure to choose a company which embraces remote work.