Great book
Conquering your Quarterlife Crisis by Alexandra Robbins has been such an excellent book to help those just coming out of college or anyone adjusting to the whole new work/city/adult lifestyle thing. It has been an encouragement and carries great suggestions on how to get out there and enjoy this new phase rather then pray it will just pass quickly. I highly recommend it for those who find themselves in similar predicaments as myself. :-)
Work Social
My job had a social today at a local bar and I thought it'd be a great opportunity to meet people. Not being one for the bar scene I was a bit uneasy of how this event could go. I've been to random events with strangers before and it wasn't a big deal because if things went bad or super awkward, no big deal you'll never see them again, but a work social carried some risk for awkwardness which one could relive everyday at work. Although the risk was great with my lack of the social etiquette on the bar scene I decided to go for it. A good amount brought their significant others, which at first was...just different, since they kinda have a safety to go to if there is no one to talk with. However the work social wasn't too bad. It gave me a great opportunity to put myself out there to get to know people better instead of just focusing on the work at hand. Although there were some awkward times when I feared I was clinging to one person too much, I made the conscious effort to move around and talk to people. In the end I think sucking up my fears and going for it was a blessing and a good step in the right direction to get to know my colleagues at work.
Conference
So a next step in this effort to meet people with hopes of making friends, I was invited to a Medical Conference, which sounded interesting since there would be people there my age and I could learn about healthcare. I was expecting a mix of nursing, medical students with nurses and docs and dentists spread abroad...a good potential for great convo. When I arrive, however, I find that all is not as it seems. The conference was mostly geared towards medical students which I am not. Also the people I came with were in a different room and my roommates were nice, but older residents/attendings. Although the weekend wasn't as anticipated as I was hoping to find other medical professionals in the same awkwardly new predicament I was in, I still managed to have some great conversation. Joining a group from each school for a meal was fun and as my mom reminded the situation could be what I make of it. At first I made of it an unfortunate event leading to another path of random encounters with people that would lead to no potential friendship, but as I heard to amazing stories of these physicians and healthcare providers helping people in such dire conditions God helped me to be able to step outside my little bubble and focus on what I can do rather than what can be done for me. I guess when you stay to yourself to long, you is all that seems to be occupying your mind. Although I didn't make any lifelong friends at the conference it helped me step outside my routine, put me outside my comfort zone and God enabled me to see something far greater than my problems and the privilege to realize I could help.
