First Day at Office: A perfect blend of excitement, anxiety and confusion

Remember the first time you sat on a train, or on a plane? Remember how your heart was infused with the adrenaline rush, when you fell in love the first time?

All the firsts have some things in common: excitement and nervousness- the first day at college, the first meet with would be in-laws, the first kiss, the first interview, the first day at hostel…

And then there is the first day at Office. Yup! I can write a memoir on my first day at the office.

I wish my first day could be as smooth as the Po meeting his Panda Clan in the movie Kung Fu Panda 3. On a pragmatic thought, then why the heck I would be writing this. So, let me circle back to the main topic.

My first day at office feels like below:

Hi, Nice to meet you… 

The initial days I feel I am meeting a lot of Monalisas'. Sometimes you will feel people are warm and smiling at you, and the other times you can see a frowning or an inquisitive face - Who is this stranger? Are we going to be friends, just colleagues, or will we become one of those poker face colleagues who put on a smile but in their minds they would have stabbed you zillion times?

Should I, Shouldn’t I?

Ok, so you have found all the essential places and important people that will help you to survive at the office - Pantry, washrooms, coffee machine, the IT guy, the Admin guy etc.? Despite knowing all the above, if you still feel any of the below symptoms then, sorry to say, you are down with Should I? Shouldn’t I? syndrome. Let me explain.

• Man, Am I hungry? Yes… no doubt…. I want to hit the pantry, brew myself a cup of tea and munch some cookies. But, it feels awkward going to Pantry.
• Indeed! nature's call is inevitable. Are people noticing how many times I go to the washroom? Man, what should I do? It is the gallons of water I drink to keep myself hydrated. Now my bladder is on the verge to burst. Should I? Shouldn’t I? …. Awkward…
• Not being to the office on time on your first day might make you a not-so-committed new joiner. So, fellas, I reached office at 7:30 am. But, now it is 5:30 pm and it is my first day, no one should object if I want to leave. But should I? Shouldn’t I?

In the spotlight:

While having lunch in the cafeteria, I felt I am in a dungeon, like those animated movies where a lot of blazing eyes pop up surrounding you. What could they be talking about? I thought.

“See that girl, she is the new kid on the block”, or may be about my looks. Those two girls sitting at the right corner just gave a high five to each other. Perhaps they were talking about me that I am fooled and landed in a wrong job. The guy at the left smiled at me but his eyes are sad. Is he feeling sorry for me?

The new joiner syndrome was lording it over me. For a few days, I would prefer people to address me as global warming because I felt the whole world is all eyes and ears.

For those who don’t experience the above things, you are AWESOME! I mean it. For those, who face the same situations like me, here are the 4 tips that can help you:

Tip 1: First day at the office? Reach before time: It is always good to reach early. Usually, the receptionist is the first person you meet at the office. You have sufficient time to interact, so talk. Take an office tour with him/her. This will help you to calm down and get familiar with places.

Tip 2: Get some questions to break the ice. The next person you meet is mostly the HR guy or your Boss. Therefore, instead of restraining your first meeting to “How are you doing?” or “nice office” etc., prepare a few questions in advance, about your role, your new company etc. so that your conversation doesn’t end with formal talks.

Tip 3: Find your guys. After you get introduced to the entire team, don’t stop there. During the early days, you need to run an extra mile and talk to people. It has a lot of benefits. First, you will start feeling comfortable. Second, you might find a colleague who has the same interest like you. Third, even if your interests differ but you stand a chance to know them more, and explore new interests.

Tip 4: Smile. Don’t tag yourself as "I-am-a-loner-here". You also need to come out of your shell and initiate talk. It all starts with a smile. So smile. People will perceive you friendly. It is the catalyst and will land you to new acquaints, new talks, and new friends. But, don’t overkill it, people will think you are crazy.

Don’t want to do any of the above? Then wait and let the destiny take its course. I am pretty sure you will cuddle your phone to amuse yourself. Enjoy this camaraderie with your phone. Have a happy digital time!