New Year, New Beginnings

Hello everyone and happy 2018 to you all! Welcome back to A Series of Unfortunate Irritations.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas break. I definitely did and really enjoyed having some quality time with family and friends. It already seems so long since I finished for Christmas and started enjoying the festivities but today was finally the day that reality was forced upon me and I went into work. I'm sure many of you felt the same today as you realised that staying indoors and stuffing your face with Christmas food was no longer socially acceptable. It's a sad but inevitable truth I'm afraid but worry not. I am back and we can fight the January blues together!

Credit: Pinterest

Today was my first day as a digital content executive at Travelodge and I was so nervous. Excited to get stuck in but nervous as well. Would I fit in ok? Will I make a major cock up? Will anyone like me? All these questions were whirring inside my head for the whole journey there until I got to the car park. It was the car park in fact where my first minor cock up happened. There is an intercom system on the gate to enter the car park and instead of pressing and waiting for a response, I pressed and quickly zipped back into my car where I waited for the gate to open. I waited....and waited. By this point, someone had pulled up behind me and was waiting to come in. "Come on!!" I pleaded wishing the sodding gate would just open. Nothing. Just as I was about to buzz again, the driver from the car behind had got out and waved their ID badge at the gate and just like that, the gate opened and I gingerly entered the car park and found any space I could. "Not a good look there, Julie!" I thought as I came to a stop in the parking space. Finesse has never been my strong suit.

I was hugely early due to the lack of traffic so I sat and tried not to dwell on my first cock up of the day. Soon it was quarter to 9 so I decided to head in early; first impressions count and all that. Before long I was put up against the wall with a camera to my face. Posing for for my ID badge picture of course! Then I waited at reception for my manager to come and get me.

First port of call was finding my desk, putting my things down and getting a drink. On first impressions, the office looked very big and the place was buzzing with all sorts of chit-chat between teams. I was made to feel very welcome as I was introduced to my team and to others around me. After exchanging pleasantries it was time to go and pick up my very own work laptop. Now, to most of you that wouldn't be a massive deal but to me having a work laptop has some significance. I was being trusted with equipment for starters, but it also indicated to me that I was now in a role that is a huge step up to what I was doing before.

This was where my tidal wave of information really started. Verification codes, passwords, systems, software, codes of practice, meetings requests, calendars you name it, I saw it all today! Even now, my head is still spinning a little from the amount I took in today. My information upload is not yet finished however as all this week and next week I will be shadowing, being mentored and attending meetings all in the spirit of welcoming me into the Travelodge way. I am looking forward to it but my god will I be tired by Friday evening! I'm just grateful that this week is just 3 days long.

I will end my post here for today as it's been quite a tiring day but I will be back later this week to tell you all the latest including how my new job is going. Thanks for reading and once again, happy new year!