Starting a new job is a lot like the first day at a new school. There are people that have been working there for years and have formed cliques that even in your wildest dreams you could not picture yourself entering. They have somehow been friends for nearly as long as they have been working. Their kids are best friends, some probably are married to each other's children. They go on vacation together, and all give you this look of, "Oh Hell no, you did not just try and get in on our conversation. Back up newbie." Stay away from these people, they aren't as cool as they look, and honestly will just bring you down in the long run.
Then you have the jocks which are now the crazy people who still somehow find time to work out hardcore while doing the 40+ hour work week. They talk about their weekend softball games, and how they are running in three marathons this year. Sure, they are great to hang around with every now and again, especially when you are trying to find workout buddies to get yourself in shape after the moving pounds have finally caught up to you. However, they are intense! They run in the morning before work, do a mini-workout during lunch, go to the gym after work, and after that do/run a Crossfit class. Unless you are already one of these people, back up before you sign your death warrant.
Rounding them out are the what I like to call the "parenting type" or in school terms, "teacher's pet". They are normal, however they will baby you, and coddle you, and make sure that you have lunch, and everyone is treating you nicely, and that you are adjusting to your new surroundings alright. They are strangling you with a pillow, much like that sentence is. And sure it is great when you first get there, and you have no idea where the best grocery store is yet, or where you should get lunch. However, after a while you just kind of want to scream, "I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING! I AM AN ADULT!". But at the same time you won't do that because, they are probably some of the best friends you have right now, you just wish they ask you if you are eating alright maybe once a week rather than five.
Being the new kid at work isn't always fun, but hopefully there are some other newbies with you to take the journey with. Right now, I am one of nine new teachers. And these analogies hold true especially because we at a middle school. Whenever you feel beat or ready to quick your job, always remember it could be worse. You could also have to watch your middle school student's day in and day out and remember who you were in middle school. No one wants to remember who they were in middle school, and it is even scarier when you find your doppelganger.
