If you just stepped foot into the real world, then you know that making new friends in your 20s can be such a struggle. Fitting in at your new office, in particular, is difficult because you want to find the balance between being professional and one of the cool kids. You're a part of a totally new team now, and unlike bonding with your roommates back in the day, you can't rely on your residential assistant to put the pieces together for you. Some of the things you did to fit in with your work crew were honestly corny AF. But, let's laugh about it, because many of us have been there, done that.
Some days you probably worked through lunch just to show your new boss you were really committed to the position. You might have participated in the office's weekly ping pong tournament even though you've never picked up a paddle, or listened to that annoying coworker rant about a client and truly took one for the team. Yes, fitting in can be hard, and you just couldn't wait to get comfortable.
Your coworkers probably picked up on a few moments when you were clearly the new kid on the block. They all have their stories of how they spilled coffee on their first day, too, so these seven corny things you did to fit in aren't so bad, after all.
The key to most people's hearts is something sweet. Cookies, cupcakes, and anything with peanut butter is probably going to help you land a pretty cool work wife. So, you decided that when you first started at your new job, you'd bake something at home and bring it in for the whole squad. How many friendships do you have already with foundations in food? I can't even count that on one hand.
Truth is, the second anyone brings food into the office, people always flock to it. Maybe it's because it's the most perfect distraction from whatever work has to get done, or just the unbelievable need to snack all the time. Did somebody say free lunch? Sign me up!
The second you went in for your interview, you made a mental note of what everyone was wearing. Maybe everyone dressed super casual, and so you started wearing joggers and other athleisure pieces to fit in. Some offices stick to the more professional look, so you might have even invested in a pantsuit and started looking to your favorite girl bosses for fashion advice. The moment one of your coworkers called your outfit "cute" was when you knew you were fitting in just fine.
Caffeine might be what keeps your work crew happy throughout the week. Aside from hitting up happy hour together, you've probably scoped out a least a couple cafes in the area around your office. You've worked out a routine where one coworker stops at the local coffee spot in the morning, while the other runs for the second round of brew in the afternoon. Those kind of pick-me-ups are what work best friends are for, and so when you first started, you tried to land a crew in this corny way.
Making connections over coffee is simple and smart. Of course, there was the stress of messing up someone's order or spilling something along the way. But, you did just fine, and now you're spending your weekends getting bottomless mimosas with your work crew, too.
Nothing breaks the ice like sharing your most embarrassing story. I'm not sure what it is about already awkward moments, but they tend to channel a part of our brains that's filled with all of the truly cringe-worthy memories.
When you first started out, you probably wanted to get to know the people in your office sooner rather than later. Sharing stories, even the embarrassing ones, seemed like a great way to spark connections and find friends. Of course, it all worked out, but odds are, there's at least one coworker who won't let that story go.
Think of that episode of Friends, when Chandler tried to keep things positive between him and his boss and developed his "work laugh." Monica couldn't stand the cackle that came out of his mouth, but he claimed that it was necessary and kind of a sign of respect.
When you first started your job, you probably laughed at every single one of your coworker's jokes. Even the ones you didn't totally understand, you'd respond with a smile and nod like you were processing something on the inside. Now that you're more comfortable with your crew, you're coming out with your own humor here and there, too. You appreciate when your work bestie starts seriously cracking up over something you said, and rely on memes for the most hilarious moments.
Real talk: You probably spent way too much time picking out just the right memes to send to your coworkers when you first started. You would go for the classic ones from sitcoms that so many people can quote, or where the cat is doing something funny. Every once in awhile, you'd send a YouTube video their way, and hope to get a few seconds of much-needed humor out of the crew, too.
Truth is, if you can make somebody laugh and brighten their day a bit, you've bonded with them in a way. So, sending memes might be corny, but it made you a modern genius as well.
The corniest thing you did to fit in at the office when you first started off was quote a television show. It was truly a risky move, because you were never quite sure if the other person would understand the reference. But, when it did work out, you knew you were coming across as witty.
You'd quote Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation, or maybe even some of Michael Scott's best moments from The Office. Any sitcom about coworkers who are basically family sent the message that you were cool and ready to be a team player, too.
Sure, some of the things you did to fit in were corny AF, but now you're not the new kid and have a pretty solid work crew. So, it's safe to say, you did something right when you were first starting out at the office.
