Work

The more I leave studying behind me (I am well aware I have yet to write my bachelor thesis, but for the most part, I´m finished) and have a look at the „real world“ of working, the more I find it´s completely different to what you´re brought up to think. When I was little I always imagined grown ups to do all this serious, important, grown up stuff, that I´d eventually learn about and that would be super complicated. By the time I started studying I figured I would never manage to survive in any work place, if everything was as complicated as what we did in uni. But really, REALLY, from what I´ve seen so far most of it is just common sense. And very few people seem to have that. Which kind of surprised me. It starts when I get praise for doing something I think is self-evident and ends with colleagues that I am completely oblivious as to how the hell they ever got hired. Seriously. When you´re new at a workplace and forget to reply to an email, normal people would be glad their colleague reminds them to do it. But when there´s people that in absolute seriousness say „No, I don´t want to reply to that. I just don´t see the sense in it.“ That does make me wonder.

This is not supposed to sound like I think I know everything. Obviously I´m stil baffled as to how I managed to get anyone to pay me money for what I do (which is mostly copying stuff into google mail, reading facebook comments and making coffee) so it´s not like I´m saying I am better than anyone.

Actually it´s more that I think there is so much fuss made about „getting a proper job“ and „learning what it´s like in the real world“ that especially students downplay their potential, because they think there´s huge expectations awaiting them, that they can´t possibly meet. At least I know that is how it felt to me at the time. And I just think is not true and it´s certainly not good for your self esteem. If you´re honest and polite, do your best and ask for help rather than just doing something stupid, you´ll be fine.

Most importantly: don´t think everyone that works/makes lots of money knows what they´re doing or have it all figured out. Some people do, some people don´t. And a lot of it is down to luck. But you don´t have to worry about it, it´s all gonna be okay. (I wish someone had said that to me a few years ago when I was freaking out like crazy :D )