15 Marbles

This one is a bit vulnerable.

I thought about posting it here, leaving it in my head, or taking it to the group chat – where I will probably hash it to death anyway. 😃

But here it is too.

I’m booked in for a four-day professional development training program away from home.

This will be the first time I’ve attended something like this completely on my own – as in, without a colleague or someone familiar to turn to.

I won’t lie. I’m a little nervous about not knowing anyone.

I know I’m going there to learn, but it’s been decades since I’ve sat in a physical classroom without a friend by my side.

What if I can’t find anyone to sit with at lunch or talk to?

What if they’re all younger and wonder what I’m doing there?

What if everyone already knows people from their own teams, university or somewhere else?

My university course was online and interstate, so even that experience didn’t involve walking into a classroom and finding somewhere to sit.

Yeah.

I’m anxious.

A friend I shared this with reassured me that I’d be fine, and that I have enough extrovert and social energy in me to get through the four days.

But then, she’s only seen me here at this workplace – where I’ve been for what feels like forever. Eleven years.

Here, I know people. I know where I fit. Even then sometimes, I feel like an imposter.

This will be different.

So, wish me luck.

Hopefully I’ll come back and tell you I was worried about absolutely nothing.

And if you have any tips for walking into a room where you don’t know a soul and pretending to be a perfectly normal, socially capable adult 😂 — please share them.

Any and all suggestions will be very gratefully received.

❤️ Trish