Blog #2 - Awkward Office

Hey all,
I've decided that instead of dedicating this blog to my actual work in the office I will dedicate it to my take on office life, and some awkward moments I've had in the office.

So everyone that I've been working with is lovely and I've had no problems fitting in, but there's always that initial awkwardness when you're the new intern and I didn't fully understand how people would feel about that, and to what extent I was "part of the team".
People are always trying to help me fit in though and one such time was on my first week. I got invited down to Friday morning tea. Once I got down there I was informed that it was a gold coin donation for Daffodil Day. I knew I only had a $50 note in my wallet, and while I'm all for curing cancer and that I wasn't about to donate a third of what I earn per week to it, but I also didn't want to be "that guy" going through the coin box picking $48 in change, especially since I was new in the office. Even though I was starving I told them I had to go back up to my computer to get something and didn't return.

To this point I've been hot desking, that is sitting at a computer of whichever person, for whatever reason, hasn't turned up that day. Because of this and the fact that I haven't been set up on the workplace file sharing system yet, ALL my work is on one USB stick (that I keep reminding myself to back up on my home computer). Despite this potentially hazardous situation I've still got all my work together successfully done and have since been set up in my own office in one of the meeting rooms (which is exciting because everyone else is the cubicle area, and I have my own room as an intern).
Anyway, one desk I was at a lot because the girl who works there was on leave for a couple of weeks. This meant I had to be at a cubicle plastered with pictures of Bon Jovi, Including one of those creepy photos where the eyes follow you wherever you look at it from. So Bon was watching me as I went through my day, silently judging me as I played Solitaire and Minesweeper when I was meant to be working, laughing inwardly when I spilt coffee all over my desk and just generally creeping me out in my peripheral vision.
Even worse was when I got introduced to someone I hadn't previously met in my third week of working and when she asked me where I was sitting I said "the desk with all the creepy Bon Jovi pictures", which, as luck would have it, is her desk.

One other time I got told it was "wear your favourite team's colours to work day", so I rocked up proudly sporting my Liverpool jersey only to find that I was the only person in the office dressed to fit the theme.

Aside from these moments it has been good in the office, and it has been really good getting my first taste of what it's like to work in such an environment. It is quite a big office but people have been successful in not making me feel like a social outcast. Areas such as the kitchen and TV room I try to use when I'm the only person around as I've found these places lend themselves to socially awkward situations. Do you talk to the other person in there? Can you change the channel? Should I use the last of the milk? Is it acceptable to eat the rest of someone's lunch if they offer it to you? Why are people giving me funny looks when I brag about finishing three games of minesweeper on expert?

Only time will make me more comfortable, yet I feel just as I am starting to make friends my time is almost up.

'Til next time,
Tom.
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