Speaking of panicking about the new job…

The closer I get to starting my new job, the more I’m forced to realize holy cow, this is actually happening. Case in point: They want to fly me out to the home office my first week, and I just got my finalized travel plans. For some reason, having a plane ticket and hotel reservation has suddenly made this A THING.

I don’t know that I’ve ever actually traveled for business. The closest I’ve come was probably driving the company van to an off-campus site when I was an A/V technician. I just haven’t had a job that would have required it before.

Sure, I’ve traveled a lot in the past, both with my family and on my own. I’ve even traveled for school, to say nothing of my study abroad. But work travel is going to be a new experience for me. The fact that my new employer is flying me out, on their dime, to meet my coworkers and do do some training, is hopefully a good sign.

All that being said, of course, having firm travel plans has definitely made the new job thing real in a way it wasn’t before. It’s as if I needed outside proof that I wasn’t just daydreaming, that I actually was finally getting out of retail and using my degree. After all, I’ve gotten to be pretty accomplished at self-delusion; who knows, maybe I was finally having a psychotic break from reality? But no, my situation is actually improving. I’m moving forward, and in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without my degree.

Sure, in an attempt to stay grounded I must admit that this new job may be as dull and mind-numbing as a day standing on the retail floor waiting for customers. It may be as stressful as finals week in grad school. But at least it’s something I chose to do, rather than something that was convenient at the time (read: every other job I’ve had).

Now if I could just figure out what to wear while visiting the home office, I’d be set.