Katie's Campaign for Companions

I need friends. So far in my new life I've got 3. Two are default friends because I moved in with them. One is perfect but she also has all of her own friends who are all here-- which are great too and trust me, I'm exploring every possible avenue in my campaign for companions. The boys I live with have great friends too but.... call me selfish, but I want some friends that are all my own.

I'm in my third week of my job and I am still silent for basically all of the day. I feel like freshman year of college all over again when I would go the entire day of classes and not talk to ANYBODY, which was so different from myself who is a self proclaimed social butterfly. I love talking to people, meeting new people, laughing, joking, etc. And maybe you're reading this and thinking, "Just get over it Katie, you're at work, that isn't a place to be laughing and joking-- it is a place to be working." Well uh-uh, that ain't gunna fly for me. I need to be having fun at all times and I need to be able to be myself in the workplace... which is talkative, laughing, joking, me.

I do know how to turn it on and off and I do know how to get work done but I've also successfully had great experiences at jobs and internships that were extremely professional, while making friends and socializing with my co-workers throughout the workday. I actually feel that part of the reason that I've done well in jobs in the past is my ability to comfortably settle in to work environments, get along with the office culture, and go beyond the level of being someones co-worker and being their friend. That way people see that I am confident, that I am smart, that I have opinions, that I am personable (which is good in the PR field), and that I am trustworthy. So booyah for making friends at work.

Unfortunately, right now, I don't have any. The majority of my workplace is older individuals but there are a lot more young-ish people that I'm noticing and I'm meeting people that I totally want to be BFFs with but its not like other jobs I've had where the whole office sort of sits in a bullpen type set up and we can all chat throughout the day. Everybody is in their own offices, in their own wings, their own floors, their own buildings even. How do I meet these people?

As if reading my mind, one of my blogs that I read daily Life In Your 20s wrote an article about this problem of making friends at work. Sucks that they didn't tell me how to make any friends though.

I've been trying to build up the courage to join tables in the cafeteria at work that have people that look like they could be my age and could be friendly. Usually I sit alone and read a book or something. Even if I bring my own food to work, I go down to the cafeteria so that I can get away from my desk for a little bit. On Monday, I brought myself the leftover couscous and brocolli that I had cooked for dinner the night before. However, to get to the sitting part of the cafeteria you have to walk through the food part of the cafeteria and I got distracted by the soup department and ended up buying some tomato bisque (their soup is delicious... today I had potato leek soup!). When I selected my empty table du jour, I sat down with my soup and realized that I had forgotten a book (I was reading "The History of Love" which is not the type of book I usually read, but I got it as a gift and I always feel like I HAVE to read books I get as gifts... it was pretty good but also sort of weird... whatever, I finished it over the weekend and forgot to swap a new book into my purse. Now, return to story).

So I'm sitting at a table, bookless, eating some tomato soup alone like I'm fuckin' Steven Glansberg (name that movie). Then, out of nowhere, a random, young, cute-ish boy comes and sits alone at the table next to me and starts eating a salad. I'm thinking to myself, if not now, when? So before I know it I muster up some courage and ask, "Excuse me, are you waiting for someone?" and he said no, so I said, "Well, I'm alone too... do you want to join me?" And he did! We had a lovely little chat, he is going to be a senior in college next year and seemed pretty cool. I'm a slob though and while we were eating I spilled soup all over the table. Luckily, I was able to hide it with my tray, but then at the end of the meal I got up first to leave for work and he saw all my sloppy soup mess all over the table. Oops. Soup spills aside-- it was nice to sit with someone at lunch and meet someone young at my place of work.

Unfortunately, there is now no way of ever seeing this kid again. I don't even remember his name! And I told him my name is Katie, which it is, outside of work. At any job or internship or class or professional/responsible experience of my entire life, I've always gone by my full name. I love my full name. I love that some people call me that and some people call me Katie. Even when I make friends with people from work, I still have them call me by my full name. For some reason, I told this boy my name was Katie and as soon as I said it, it felt weird to be telling someone at work that my name was Katie. And now, if he decided that I'm awesome (and come on now, why wouldn't he decide that?) and tries to stalk me and find me... he never will since on my office door, my desk, my e-mail, in all the directories, etc. I go by my full name. For all intesive purposes, Katie B. does not exist at my place of work. Fucker.

Guess I'll just keep my fingers crossed and try again to make friends again tomorrow. In the mean time, Kimber (since you're the only one who reads this anyways, I might as well directly speak to you), I might have to take up your offer for a letter of recommendation for being my friend. It might come in handy. If you can, include that I don't always spill food all over the place when I eat. Thanks :)



P.S. It took me a while to come up with the name "Katie's Campaign for Companions" but I really like the final title. Also, I didn't just think of that as a title for this blog entry. I've been calling my search for friends "Katie's Campaign for Companions" in my head for a few days now.