Happy Work Anniversary :)

It's been eight long 'short' years since the official work started!... Life goes on so quickly, we don't even realize it. I still remember how it first was, to get applauds from my colleagues, to struggle and succeed, to laugh and get nervous... to live another 'normal' day at work.

Yes, work is an important shift in one's life. Today, I don't want to tell you stuff about my job, how much I like it, how my work environment is, how my colleagues are, and so on... I am not writing you a story (although I'd love to). Today, I am celebrating (by now, you should know how much I love to celebrate a little nice and random things that happen to me).

A celebration is sharing, so I'd like to tell you what are the things this little period taught me that no one ever told me. Are you expecting things like: "you will miss your university even if it sucked and you were sure you never would", or “the best part of life is when you are a student! “? No, don't worry those are classics. You don't need me to say the obvious.

Here are eight facts that sum up my short experience:

• Everything you studied, and all the nights you spent preparing for your 'very hard' exams are, unfortunately, not enough: No matter what degree you have or what grades you used to get, or how many hours/days you spent studying... Truth is: there is still more to be learned, and there always will be. You need to be very humble and hardworking. Passion for what you do would also help!
• What you know and how you put it into practice are two totally different stories: You may know all the processes, all the theories, and rules that need to be applied. However, the business world does 'stuff' differently, and these processes/theories/rules get adapted to the context of the workplace. Don't be confused, you can still take advantage of knowing what you know, you just need to bring theory down to practice! Not hard, you'll see (irony )
• Experience is built over time. When you are entering the working world for the first time, you are like a student again. Consequently, you should understand that learning starts at the bottom and you need to be okay with this. Years of work build experience, and that's one thing your diplomas cannot replace... Even if you think the stairs are tiring, you can't take the elevator!!
• A healthy work environment can totally change your experience: You might have had the chance to choose your teammates for class projects. But that was back then because you rarely have a say in the choice of your colleagues! There will eventually be some "mean" people, those who won't give you credit, those who will steal your ideas, those who will perceive you as a potential 'danger', those who will want you out and those who won't help. That you already know, because the world we live in is made of all these kinds of people. Just don't underestimate the importance of being surrounded by the ones who can bring in some positive energy, with whom you can share happiness, joy, success, maybe even lunch and some moments of intimacy. (Yes they exist, everywhere! Big shout out to my colleagues, you've become the second family to me!)
• Having a good mentor is mandatory: In the first months at work you feel 'lost'. It obviously takes some time for you to understand how things are being done. It is thus very important to be able to rely on someone, to ask questions and get 'actual' answers and real help. Being able to 'talk' to someone, professionally, is very important. It can totally make your life easier and may save you a lot of time! Finding a good mentor is a whole other story because you know: people don't have the time, the nerves, the energy, and the patience to teach you stuff they assume you already know!
• Yes to mistakes: Ok, you are new to the tons of responsibilities you are accounted for. It will take you some time to realize that this is nothing like studies, that your 'life' does not depend on that one grade, and that you are in fact allowed to make mistakes (not huge ones please) in order to learn. By making errors and understanding how and why you made them, you are getting out of your comfort zone and exploring how to be better at what you do. And that's what builds the experience we talked about just a sec ago!
• Stressing out won't help you get the job done: It is important to learn how to manage your stress because your negative waves might get to your colleagues as well.. And we all know how unpleasant it is to be around someone who worries about every detail !! Keep calm and get the work done. (That's something I am just saying, I am still miles away from being excellent at stress management, but working on it!)
• Some of your 'crazy' professors were actually right: Oh how many 'weird' stories we've been told, how many pieces of advice they gave us...(Sweet memories, you are silently thinking ;)). If you too used to think 'enough' each time one of your professors started giving you life lessons, or maybe even thought they were wasting your precious time, I can ensure you that you'll realize some of those people were right. You might even miss them! How unbelievable it is that!

This list will certainly keep growing as I spend more time at work, that just what I realized, I am sure there are lessons I didn't fully grasp and the coming years will be more enriching to me.

What other interesting discoveries have you made by yourself when you started work? Is your list longer? Please share, it's always good to be prepared for the next life journey.