Sept 29: My first day

How come your first day of anything never works out quite like you plan? It seems that regardless of the preparation you put in it still begins to unravel. That’s how my first day of work began. I don’t have to be at work until 9am, but I was up at 6am for prayer. I was out of the house by 8am so that I had ample time to get to work. One stop from my exit the train decides to stop running which left me twenty minutes behind. I try to stay calm and relax but in my mind I’m thinking it will be really bad if I am late my first day. Using the excuse of train trouble is like using the excuse of traffic in LA. Though true, there will always train trouble or traffic issues. Everyone knows that and you have to factor that into your travel time.
So I exit the train and hop onto the next train. Did I mention that it was the wrong train? Yeah how ignorant is that?

I finally get to work but have to check in as a visitor because it’s my first day. And every foreign exchange student in America is in the visitor’s line. I can’t figure out why but I am assuming somewhere in this massive building is some type of office for them.

I finally get to my office and am greeted by the woman who will be training me. She shows me to my cubicle. Two things made me so excited. First, were all the PostIts I had in my drawer. I love PostIts. I was in PostIt heaven. It wasn’t just the yellow ones. There were pink ,green etc and I was so excited. I know it sounds crazy but I love them!

The second thing was that I had a cubicle. I’ve never had a cubicle. I could decorate it and it would be my own space. This may seem silly but right now I have no space carved out on this planet that belongs only to me. To some a cubicle is like a big sign screaming welcome to mediocrity but for me it’s a step in the right direction. Its proof God’s got me (it’s the salary I asked for) and I know I’m where I should be for now.

Things were going seemingly well until it was lunchtime. Has anyone seen Mean Girls? Great great movie. Well I stepped straight into a scene of that movie. I walked into the cafeteria perky and excited to meet co-workers. When I spoke I was met with smirks and unconcerned looks. It was as if they were saying why should we care who you are? I felt really uncomfortable. What was even more alarming was this was the first interaction I had with my black co-workers. Why was it necessary to be rude? I had the sudden urge to eat in the bathroom like Lindsay Lohan but that’s gross so I just ate in my cubicle.

Later in the day I had to use the bathroom, but I had to wait until someone was available to take me because you need a key card for the bathroom. I felt like the third graders who have to go to the bathroom in twos. I’m a big girl now just let me borrow your card and pee. On the way to the bathroom (finally), I had to stop to meet one of my bosses. So there I am standing there being introduced and all I can do is hope I don’t pee on myself. I just squeeze my thighs together and smile.

I think I am finally going to get to go to the bathroom, but then my trainer says I may as well wait because we are about to go get my key cards then I can go. You have got to be kidding me. It was like the longest walk ever to get those stupid key cards. Sidenote: The building where I had to get my keycard had a crazy looking receptionist. Ok. She wasn’t crazy looking but receptionists have to be well put together. I know this from experience. It is the first impression anyone gets when they walk into your company. With that said they should be presentable, dress nice and have their hair combed. This receptionist in particular decided that she was going to take the day off from doing her hair and have an attitude. Back to my day…

Finally I got to go the bathroom. I wish someone would have told me that you can get into the bathroom without a key card. It was getting out that was the problem. I couldn’t understand for the life of me why you needed a key card to leave the bathroom. What did they think I was gonna do take the toilet paper hostage? I later found out it was a shared bathroom between many companies and this ensured no one walked into another company and stole stuff. Whatever.