It’s your first real job after graduation, you have been a part of the office for a few months and feel like you are making your way. Your coworkers are finally learning your name, you are dressing the part of young professional, and have decorated your desk in a tasteful way. Then one day, your boss walks by and says, “Are you the new intern?” Here are 7 things that happen when you’re the youngest one in the office.
1. You get asked, “You like the Internet, can you fix the printer?”
For some reason, people who did not grow up with the Internet access millenials did, think that everyone 25 and younger can fix any and all computer problems – even when you’re not part of the IT department.
2. Some coworkers have children that are your age.
This is something you will run into and it’ll either make you feel good about your life choices or terrible. Their children could be doctors, lawyers, married with 3 beautiful blonde headed children of their own. Or, they could be crashing in their parents basement. It’s a coin flip. So, your coworker may brag about their amazing children and the occasional jealousy about your own choices may happen or, if you’re lucky, they’re a “cool” parent and are easy to talk to.
3. Attending meetings with your boss makes you feel way out of your league.
To think that only a few short years ago you were in college, attending classes, participating in the occasional thirsty Thursday (or more than occasional) and now, you’re sitting in a board room full of people whose salaries are more than triple your own. It’s a little daunting hearing a room of people in suits speak about budgetary items, comparison of years part items, etc.
4. You become the urban dictionary of the office.
Whenever a coworker hears an unfamiliar term of pop culture reference, you are the first person they ask about it. “What is this mcm thing I keep seeing on Facebook?”
5. You are often mistaken for the office intern.
You may have your own desk/cubicle, with a name plate and possibly an ID badge. You show up to work dressed as professionally as your post grad budget can accommodate, you think you look like a grown up. Then, someone walks in the office and asks when you started interning at the company. The youthful appearance strikes again.
6. You get low key excited about payday, while no one else does.
Your coworkers have been putting money into their 401k plans for years, have a lovely home and never talk about money. You on the other hand, are living paycheck to paycheck, so when payday hits, the excitement happens and you splurge on that venti Starbucks latte.
7. Monday office talk about what you did over the weekend has to be censored.
Let’s be honest, when your coworker asks what you did over the weekend, you really want to say you went out and drank Friday night and brunched on Sunday. But while everyone else is talking about the hike they took with their significant other, the half marathon they ran, and the cooking class they took – you tweak you answer to: “Saw some friends and went out for dinner.”
