Integrating a social life into West Coast trading hours..

OK, I work at a trading desk on the West Coast (California) from 6:00am to 3:00pm local time. Which means I need to get up before 5am to get ready for work every day.

I also would like to be able to hit up some bars or clubs with friends on the weekends, usually from 10pm to 2am. I'm curious about how those of you on the west coast working similar hours handle this as I don't readjust very well to these changes in my waking schedule..

 

hey, i'm in the same boat and wouldn't mind hearing some suggestions. i've been doing a lot of daytime drinking at the summer festivals and whatnot and trying not to stay out too late. anyone have thoughts on where the fresh-out of college tail is in the city? also, any recommendation as far as groups to join of any sort just to meet new young people?

 
CNB90:
Must there be a secret remedy for every trivial problem? I'll quote Nike: Just do it!

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People tend to think life is a race with other people. They don't realize that every moment they spend sprinting towards the finish line is a moment they lose permanently, and a moment closer to their death.
 

A lot of traders in NY and London start similar time and get out much later, you actually don't have it too bad. Though, it is weird getting up within a few hours of when you got back from drinking a day or two before. I guess I just adjust easily.

Jack: They’re all former investment bankers who were laid off from that economic crisis that Nancy Pelosi caused. They have zero real world skills, but God they work hard. -30 Rock
 

There is no reason to drink on the weekdays. Learn to not give into peer pressure, hit on chicks while sober, not waste money on drinking alcohol during the week, and drink on Fridays nights and day drink Saturdays while tailgating with a local college. Problem solved

 
eyelikecheese:
There is no reason to drink on the weekdays. Learn to not give into peer pressure, hit on chicks while sober, not waste money on drinking alcohol during the week, and drink on Fridays nights and day drink Saturdays while tailgating with a local college. Problem solved

+1

 
Best Response

Before I made the jump into banking, I worked on the S&T side at a west coast shop. I feel your pain with the early hours. It sounds like you haven't been in this position for too long yet, correct? If not, you'll slowly (emphasis on slowly) adjust over time.

I used to have to be at work by 5 am each morning for our firms national morning call, and that was brutal. The only advice I can give is that your body will slowly adjust to getting by on less and less sleep. I think an average night's sleep for me during the week was about 6 hours. (It's funny because now that I'm in banking I don't have to be at work as early, but I still end up getting about the same amount of sleep, if not less, just because of the long hours we work).

My thought while I was working early morning hours was to work around my life, and not live life around work. This often resulted in late nights out drinking with buddies, and being hellishly tired the next morning, but I figured in the long run it's worth it. Since most of us in finance work weird/long hours, I think that it's important to make an effort to maintain a social life outside of work, even if it comes at the expense of getting a good night's sleep.

Just my $.02.

 

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