Everyone at work is talking about the various holiday parties going on in the industry this season. I have no desire to go to the party, if there even is one, for internship #1, if I were even invited in the first place! All this talk reminds me of the work holiday party I went to last year. The one that was in the show room of my office...the one where we had a painfully long karaoke session that quickly turned into a striptease, left that office, went out to dinner, then went to a bar, and by the time I left...our tech guy was sleeping at the bar, and our other tech guy was making out with the tech girl, getting ready to leave with her. The next day my boss told me if I went into the office to get her computer I could stay home the rest of the day. I got to the office and less than half the company was there and the people that were there were either a) hung over or b) feeling awkward about the previous night's shenanigans. The night was however, one I think of often and with fond memories.
I didn't take part in anything too crazy, but in case you did, here are a few tips to avoid that awkward next day conversation in the office kitchen.
The Daylight Rule - It's okay to drink at your office's holiday party, but don't drink more than you would during the day. A lot of times we feel protected by the darkness of the night and tend to act out of character. Socialize and have a drink or two, but you shouldn't be drunk. Always remember to keep your drink in your left hand so you right hand is free to shake hands with other people.
Spread Out - Holiday parties are one of the few times you'll be in the same room with the people on the very bottom of the food chain and the very stop. It's easy to stick with your go-to group of office friends but try to spread out and socialize with different people. I took the opportunity to talk to the CEO last year and we had such a nice conversation, we even took pictures. After that he always said hello to me and remembered my name.
Research - Make sure you know what type of party this is--is it going to be in the office, at a bar, at a bowling alley? The setting can give you a pretty good idea of what the atmosphere will be. Find out what the dress code is too..unless you go to work everyday wearing casual clothes (like I usually do) you don't want to wear something too crazy or too revealing. I think of these parties in the same way as when you were a kid and saw your teacher in regular people clothes outside of the classroom on weekends. People will be looking at you differently in this different setting and you still want to keep it on some type of professional level.
Show Up - People will be talking about those who don't show up and often times, the holiday party is a great way to bond with your co-workers. You don't want to miss out on this and be excluded from the party convos around the office the next day. Even if you only stay an hour, make the effort to show up and appear happy to be there! Don't stay out too late though because you DO have to go to work tomorrow and you can't exactly lie to your boss and say you can't come to work because your dog is sick when the entire office knows you were out partying until 3 am.
Most importantly, have a good time...you worked hard all year and you deserve it! Remember to think about what kind of office culture your company has and translate that to a party setting. Happy Holidays :-)
I win the award for most creative blog title, right?!
I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. I've been so busy lately, I didn't even have time to think about what I was thankful for. My family isn't the cliche New England type family that goes around the table with eloquent words on what they're thankful for. Its more like the sounds of forks banging on plates and the pouring of wine in our glasses, which is a-ok with me.
Thinking about what I'm thankful for is just something I try to keep in mind at least for a minute or two on Thanksgiving. It helps me keep things in perspective and makes me realize how much I do have. Every year I'm thankful for things like still having my family in my life, having a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in every night, having clean drinking water, being fortunate enough to attend college, my health, and my friends--the kind that fill my life with joy and love. Those things are standard.
Crazy things I'm thankful for? I'm thankful for sleep and something I call Baby Pillow, Hip-Hop, Family Guy, digital cameras, cuddly winter clothes like boots and sweatshirts and jackets with fuzzy hoods, old pictures of my grandmother, my cell phone, coloring books and crayons, Nikes, good stories that make me laugh, and the internet.
New things that I'm thankful for this year. Maybe just one thing. I thought a lot about the opportunity that's been presented to me, to be able to live in New York, and work 3 internships. This isn't something everyone will experience in their lifetime and I can't not be thankful that I somehow have managed to attain such a thing. As much trouble as it may give me sometimes, the fact of the matter is, 4 years ago, I'd be dying for something like this and for that, I am thankful. I'm thankful to be able to walk into a record label every day and feel comfortable there because just the very thought of one used to make my stomach do back flips. I'm thankful for everyone that has supported me through the times when I wanted to quit, because without them, I wouldn't have anything else.
