In school, it’s easy to compare yourself to another student. You probably came from similar backgrounds, go to the same school and are both in the same place in your lives, college. This might be a good way to get a quick measure on how well you’re doing in the environment in which you currently exist because everyone is going to the same place, college is like a race to the finish. After graduation, however, your comparisons might end up being a one way ticket to self defeat.
“Real life” is far more complex that the social experiment that is a college campus. Diversity abounds and you’re likely to end up around people that have far less in common than Suzy Sorority with those shoes you almost bought falling asleep next to you in Old Man Bohemian’s environmental issues class.
Sometimes it’s not as easy finding a common ground when you don’t have the life experiences of your coworkers, you’re still a “baby.” And you might find rehashing last night’s antics isn’t quite as appealing a conversation topic to others as say, the economy (I know, it sucks, but it can be interesting…I promise). Sometimes you’re going to have to tone down your young passion for life, while other times it might be a good idea to play it up. Interacting with different people in the workplace might jump back and forth on the social spectrum a little more than you’re used to. One minute Bob in customer service wants to tell you about God and hunting, then, on your way back to you desk, cute Liz tells you about her weekend – probably far more comfortable, but you have to get out of your comfort zone to meet people.
Drop cliquey, immature tendencies and make progress.
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