Armed with advice passed down through generations of seasoned professionals, I set out to perfect the firmest handshake the corporate world had ever seen.
From day one, my mind buzzed with wisdom from my mom, dad, and my brother alike: “Make it firm, but not too firm,” as if I were mastering the grip of a sword itself. So, like any diligent individual, I practiced in secret, gripping doorknobs with newfound determination.
Imagine your first day as an intern: you can feel the crispness of your new pleated pants, the nervous flutter of butterflies in your stomach, hear the hum of the air conditioner and the embarrassingly loud footsteps of the new heels you thought were really cool. But amidst what all other interns were thinking, here I was, mentally chanting, “Firm, confident, approachable.”
Morning meetings and new people became my proving ground. With sweaty palms and racing heart, I approached each extended hand with the seriousness of a knight before battle. As though I was a connoisseur of palm pressures, I even caught myself mentally rating all my handshakes since I had the privilege of becoming an Indium intern. Kendra? I had the firmer one. Matt? I won against him, too. But Tom? I lost to him. I am coming to get you, Tom.
At this point, my handshakes were more than the steps my phone was tracking. As I came an inch closer to mastering the art of handshaking, it dawned on me that it was never about the handshake itself.
I have the habit of coming to realizations late, like the time when I realized that ‘low-fat’ ice cream doesn’t mean you can eat the whole tub guilt-free – it just means you’re now having an existential crisis with a spoon. Or the time when I discovered that parallel parking isn’t a spectator sport, especially when you are the one providing the unintentional entertainment for everyone on the sidewalk. Or the time when I learned that buying a fancy blender doesn’t magically transform me into a smoothie connoisseur–it just means I now have a very expensive paperweight with impressive blending capabilities.
But let's get back to handshakes.
As my handshake game improved, I embraced the revelation that success lied not in the grip, but in the grit that followed: the genuine smile and the enthusiastic eyes from meeting someone new. And with that realization, I knew that I had finally cracked the code of office etiquette.
My parents brought me up to be an independent, curious, and opinionated woman. This opinionated woman took a nineteen-hour flight, miles away from home, to come to Boston in 2021 with three suitcases and a dream that transcended textbooks and lecture halls. From a nervous freshman at Boston University to a nervous intern at Indium Corporation today, I reflect on my journey and conclude that life has always been about the meaningful relationships that I build and contribute to along the way. It was never about crushing knuckles or measuring strength. No matter where I go, it is about the impacts and connections I leave behind.
I have seen people who have worked hard for 10, 20, 30 years at Indium Corporation and still take on every opportunity possible to learn and grow--which never fails to amaze me. Discipline is not just a requirement but a tool for personal growth and professional success. My late-night parties have turned into self-growth evenings filled with reading, running a mile every day, and attempting my hand at the electric guitar. There is, indeed, a quiet satisfaction in prioritizing self-improvement and long-term goals over immediate gratification.
There are so many quotes by famous people about how handshakes open up the world for you and how you must live up to them. But as mentioned, I’d love to leave my own impact on this matter. So hi, I’m Jinanshi and let my tale be a cautionary, yet comical, reminder: while a firm handshake might open doors, it will always be the authenticity and laughter that truly define your journey. I am now focusing on loosening my grip on handshake supremacy and rather fostering relationships, including one with myself.