This past week has been exhausting, exciting, stressful, nerve-wracking, boring, etc, etc, etc. All week, I was just a big bundle of all sorts of emotions as I put on my big girl pants(er, trousers and skirts) and started my first job as a college grad. Working here ↓, nonetheless.
Yes, that is the Pentagon! Where do I even begin?? Getting this job kind of happened so fast and unexpectedly that I still can't believe it happened. One day a few weeks ago, after still not having any luck finding a job, I decided to start applying at some banks. Working at a bank has never been on my list of dream jobs, but I started applying anyway because it would give me some experience and be a steady job. I saw an opening at a bank in the Pentagon, and applied to it thinking nothing would come of it. Little did I know that the next day(literally), I would be getting a call from one of the company's recruiters who did a pre-screening interview which led to a real interview which led to me getting the job!
I feel so blessed to finally have a job! This week has been reeeaaalllllyyyy long though. When you get used to having your days free, it's hard to get back into a structured schedule(especially when it involves early mornings) so I have been grateful to have this weekend to recuperate(but wish I could have at least one more day). My week was spent training, reading policies, observing my new coworkers, and adjusting to my new schedule(which consists of me leaving early in the morning, getting home late in the evening, eating dinner, sleeping, and repeating).
Let's not forget terrible Tuesday. This was by far the worst day of the entire week! It was my first full day being in the Pentagon. I live about 30 miles from work, but with DC traffic that means I have a pretty long commute. To make things less stressful on me, I take a commuter train and the metro(subway) to and from work. This particular morning was going to be the first morning I took the train in and it is where the terrible day began. I got to the station just as the train I should have been on pulled away. I had to wait 30 minutes for the next one, and long story short, got to work 15 minutes late. Already feeling extra emotional and not myself due to women problems, this left me feeling more frazzled and I felt like the rest of the day just went downhill from there. Ok, really while I was at work things were fine. I spent the day doing training modules so I was more bored than anything. It was after work that things went downhill. I got to the train station just as a train was pulling in. Just assuming it was the right train, I didn't consult a schedule and just got on it. The train started going and we passed all these unfamiliar places, but I didn't think anything of it because I had been reading my kindle that morning so I didn't really pay attention to where we were.
Lo and behold, I took the wrong train and wound up in some place I'd vaguely heard of but never been to and found out there were no more trains going back the way I came from. That broke the straw on the camels back. All my emotions just came flooding out. I really thought I was going to be stuck sleeping on the streets that night. I don't know if any of you have ever experienced this, but at that moment, I was just done with everything. I didn't want to go back to work, did I really even want this job if this is what it entailed? I for sure was never going to ride the train again, and I just wanted to find a way back to my bed and never leave it again.
You know what? Turns out everything ended well. My sis and her family came and saved me from the unknown place so I didn't have to sleep on the streets, and I got the transportation down and have not been late for work or taken the wrong train again. OK, this is turning into a novel so I better wrap it up. I am grateful to be working and so far have loved being in the Pentagon. It is such a neat building. I've been leery of really exploring because I don't want to get lost, but what I've seen of it has been amazing. Stay tuned for more stories from my newest adventure...
