Is it just me, or does being a new kid give you that nervous and stomach-churning feeling during the first day or maybe week? When I was still studying, I've been in 6 different schools and I never got used to that awful feeling of being the new kid - it's like I'm always starting back from scratch and I'd actually have to repeat the same adjustment routine and interact with new people. I'm not anti-social nor an introvert, but maybe because I know that being in a new environment entails having to cope with a new set of strangers people and it feels like everything that I do may be a mistake and it feels like (in my peripheral vision) all eyes are on me and they are trying to decipher what kind of human being I am. 

This Monday, I'll be starting my job as a Promotions Graphic Assistant for a big telecommunication network and I'm in panic mode for a couple of days now because I don't know what's in store for me aside from doing my job description. So many questions are going through my head during the first few days/weeks of being a new kid, some are stupid but  are fairly reasonable:

1. "Am I the only new person around here?" - Seriously, who doesn't want to know the other newbies around? There's always this satisfying feeling about knowing that you're not alone in this journey to adjustment.

2. "Should I start introducing myself to them? Or should I just let them know who I am?" - I know there's nothing wrong with self introduction, but just the feeling of not knowing whether they care about who the hell you are sucks. It's either you'd look like someone feeling close to strangers or if you don't introduce yourself at all, you'd look like a total snob. Which leads to the next question..

3. "Should I just shut up?" - Because there's this always unending feeling that every time you talk and people around you knows that you're still a total stranger, you sometimes think that you've done so much talking and you need to keep quiet.

4. "When all else fails, where is the best hiding spot?" - You're scared to make mistakes at first, and when you commit one you think that it's such an embarrassment and you feel like you want to hide forever or stay at the back so that no one will notice you anymore. It's like being punished be the pre-school teacher and she lets you stand in the corner, facing the wall. 

5. "How long will it take me to get used to this place and these people?" - Of course, you just want to end this journey and start feeling like you already belong in this place. Dude, trust me - once you've stepped foot in this place you know that you'll be a part of the mix, you just have to know how to find the balance when it comes to interaction among the people around you. 

But hey, I managed to survive and make great friends and acquaintances after so many years, right? There's nothing wrong in being a new kid, actually it's fun being one because just the feeling of meeting new people is exciting. First day jitters are all normal, and once you get through your first month, you'll soon realize that you've made a lot of friends and progress. I'm honestly excited to start working on Monday and meet my new colleagues!!