Last week my company threw its holiday party. Maybe it wasn't exactly like the picture above, but I just wanted to throw that in here. Perhaps some of you have had first hand experience at an office Christmas party, or maybe you have seen some on TV. Well, unfortunately, my party was not as entertaining as the kind of things we have come to know and love: eggnog and yankee swaps in the office; people abusing the photocopier; scandalous inter-office hookups; the boss riding in on a reindeer. But there was dancing. Oh yes. There was, how shall I say, "uninhibited" dancing. Not by me though. Perhaps another time.
The office holiday party is a yearly tradition for most companies. I was lucky enough to join my company the year our CEO decided to retire, which meant that our holiday party was pretty fancy. Many offices in New York City - especially big firms and companies owned by multinational conglomerates - have their parties in hotel ballrooms with multiple bars, dance floors, game rooms, prizes, and other goodies. While my party was not a huge extravaganza, it was still a classy affair. We were lucky enough to be entertained at a rather upscale restaurant. But this wasn't it a sit down dinner, it was the usual mingling and buffet-style grab-and-go experience. Yes, there were open bars and there were a number of people who took advantage of that. And yes, there were people on the dance floor. I tried to avert my eyes at all costs. Maybe I can't dance well, but that's no excuse for having to watch others do the same.
There was one aspect of the party that was a bit odd. It was the small talk. Now, I'm no good at small talk. I'm not even good at regular talk. So meeting new people from your workplace and engaging in benign conversation was a bit difficult. But everywhere I went I found people mostly talked about the same thing: work. Granted, it's a perfectly normal ice-breaker, especially when you know its something you have in common. But after a while of talking shop, me and whoever I was talking to would slowly get quieter and quieter. The pauses longer and longer. Was it me? Probably. I've had some other extra-curricular activities with people from work, and the situation was pretty similar. Is that what happens, now that I'm a working man? Am I forced to talk about work wherever I go, whomever I'm with? You talk about what you know, and maybe the only thing I know is work! That's what this blog is about! Ahh!
So, moving on to something not work related...
No, I didn't get into grad school, or have to rematriculate back to my old school. I just chose that picture for the title. And it's a pretty awesome movie. But the point is, I made my first trek back to my alma mater, what some may consider a momentous occasion. I wasn't thinking too much of it - I went to go see a show my friends were putting on - and I figured it would be a nice day-trip with fond remeniscing, and a nice chance to see old friends. But it was more than that. I never thought I was too attached to my school when I was there, but revisiting the place where I became so entrenched, so familiar with everything, the place where I lived for most of four years - well, I realized just how insular the whole thing was. My college is a small liberal arts college in New England and our campus was isolated from the city we were in. Going back, and seeing the current seniors, I realized I was no longer the big man on campus. I felt that I didn't fit in anymore, I didn't belong. Yes, I did belong, in a way. But it was the feeling like you can never go home again. I couldn't just pick up where I left off. I had a new life, away from the routine and security of college life.
Of course, this mini existential crisis lasted for only a little while. The play was hilarious (Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang), and everyone involved did a terrific job. Overall it was a good time. It was sad and frustrating that I had to go back to work on Monday (but then, that's how I feel every weekend), but I knew I would see people again. I guess it's just hard transitioning to life after college. If you've graduated, have you gone back to school? What was it like? And if you haven't graduated, do you think what I'm saying won't happen to you?
Well, that's it for now. I promise my next blog will be more entertaining and hopefully funny. Happy Holidays and see you next year!
