Just Lauren

I worked in an office building yesterday. First time in three and a half months. I clocked in at 8:03am because I underestimated how long it would take me to get ready to go to work outside of my 1,000 square foot apartment. I had to pack a lunch. And my laptop. And put on shoes. It was weird.

Still, I was the first one in the office. I turned on the lights, passed my desk, and sat at Maureen’s desk because I’m not allowed to sit at my own (Cathy sits right behind me and we can’t have people sitting right in front of or behind one another). Maureen’s desk was empty because she had come in a previous week and grabbed all her stuff. Many of our calendars still said March. It was weird.

Eventually three other people also made their way into the office and I caught up with these people I hadn’t seen in so long. I felt good. When one of them asked me what I had been up to I said, “Uh, I go on walks.” We then laughed at the slower pace of our lives.

The current plan is for me to work in the office every Wednesday. Mostly so I can see my coworker, Cathy, and get a little bit more socialization in my life. I felt both sad and happy to be there yesterday. The work culture that I grew to love so quickly is gone. While I hope we can keep some of it, it’s going to change, because the majority of people are most likely not going to work in the office ever again. They’re choosing to work remotely full time. That’s a loss that I really feel. I am trying to stay positive because gosh darn it I will do my best to help create a new culture that I love just as much. Anyways, we all know that embracing change is good and means more personal growth.

Today I also went into the office, but this time it was so I could eat lunch with my team. My manager grabbed us food from a nearby restaurant, we all brought our own chairs, and we sat outside in the courtyard for an hour and a half laughing and enjoying each other’s company. We played three truths and a lie and I didn’t guess one person correctly. Oops, not sure what that says about me and my interpersonal and listening skills. /shrug. No one held it against me, thankfully. I had such a wonderful time.

We went inside the building for a bit where I snagged a quick selfie with one of my coworkers and I recorded my other coworker, Mario, juggling. Needless to say we were having fun and riding a high from seeing each other. But then my manager packed up most of her office and my other coworker packed up her cubicle. I felt sad. I’m not ready to pack away my stuff yet so it’s staying at my desk for now. Let it be a snapshot of old times. We all agreed that we should keep having lunches together and hanging out because it’s enjoyable for us all. So here’s to us seeing each other more often than once every 3 1/2 months.