Cressida Liu

7.00 AM

Time to wake up! Sunrise isn't for another 40 minutes, but I hop out of bed to change into the running clothes I laid out the night before. I chuck on my joggers and head out for a 20-minute run to wake up (I'm trying to cut back on caffeine!). After I get back home there's just enough time for a quick shower, and I change into something comfortable before heading out the door at 7:45 am.

8.00 AM

I hop on the train and use this time to go over a couple of the concepts we learnt yesterday, quizzing myself on gamma hedging but also occasionally enjoying the view from the carriage! I feel like listening to Taylor Swift today, so I also do a bit of that. 8:30 am I get to the office a bit early today and head over to the kitchen to grab a banana, a bowl of oats, and a (cheeky) long black from our in-house barista! I munch on my breakfast while enjoying the waterfront views from the Akuna Cafe.

9.00 AM

All the interns have arrived, and it's time to get the day started! First on the agenda is a quiz to consolidate the information we learnt the day before, followed by the Trader's Morning meeting. During the session, we get to sit in with the whole team to discuss news and market events and how they affect the positions of the options books. We hear the traders talk about technical and systems issues which goes way over our heads.

10.00 AM

It's now time for a 1-hour lesson from our trader trainer. We learn more about the knowledge needed on the trading floor - this time, vega spreads - and we scribble away in our notebooks as our trainer explains the concepts on the board and peppers us with questions that we discuss in pairs. After the lecture ends, I make a trip (one of many throughout the day) to the kitchen for some fruit and kombucha!

11.00 AM

One of the firm's quantitative crypto traders visited us for a lesson on crypto futures. We learn more about some of the financial products Akuna trades in the crypto space and then play a game in groups that put our analytical and quick-thinking skills to the test!

1.00 PM

Time for lunch! Today we're going to the highly recommended Tiny's Sandwich Bar on Clarence Street. It's only supposed to be a 7-minute walk from the office, but we take a long way around and enjoy the views along the Barangaroo Wharf! When we get there, we're greeted by the inviting smell of sandwiches and the promise of a full stomach.

2.00 PM

After coming back from lunch, we do a session of mock trading with some hints from the traders. Today's market: the spread between the number of Bunnings in NSW and Victoria. It's one of my favourite parts of the day and definitely a time you get to learn more about yourself and your fellow interns as you try to price option combinations on the fly and bid for information under the pressure of potentially losing (or making!) real money

3.00 PM

As part of the internship, we're also paired with a mentor who we meet with regularly. Today, we're shadowing them on the trading desk and learning more about what they do at their desks. My mentor, answers all my questions with a peachy-keen attitude and is always happy to help out! She is always open to chat about anything.

4.00 PM

Our Trainer takes the time to give each of us personalised feedback and also gives us an opportunity to give him any feedback we have. During this time, we can ask questions and discuss what we've done well and how we can improve our performance.

5.00 PM

It's the end of the day, but it wouldn't be Akuna if we didn't have a poker tournament every now and then! If it's not a weekly poker tournament organised by the poker club, it'll be a night doing rubiks cubing, rock climbing, running or wine club! ... and that's a day in my life as a Winter Trading Intern at Akuna