How to Calm First Day Nerves

<section class="wp-block-reyrey-js-section"><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-column"><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">First days are filled with new beginnings, new faces, and new challenges.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">Exciting, yes. Anxiety-inducing, definitely.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">That’s why it’s perfectly normal for your first day to be fraught with nerves. So, if you are panicked, excited, mildly curious, or somewhere in between about your first day on the job, these tips will help you conquer some common anxiety-causing situations.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph"><span class="RR-Font-Weight Bold">Running Late</span></div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">Arriving late on your first day is poor form. And, worrying about being late is a surefire way to ensure you’ll be late on your first day. Prepare your clothes (bust out that iron and lint roller) and lunch the night before.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">Although getting a good night’s sleep is easier said than done, try really hard. Turn in early and set a back-up alarm. In the morning, give yourself some wiggle room for unexpected wardrobe malfunctions, hair emergencies, or traffic delays and leave earlier than normal. Also, plug your boss’s number into your cell—in the case you are running late (for completely legitimate reasons), you’ll want to let her know why.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph"><span class="RR-Font-Weight Bold">First Impressions</span></div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">You want to make a good first impression on everyone you meet. Typically, your boss will spend the morning making introductions between you and your coworkers. Smile, shake their hands, and be attentive and thoughtful in your conversations. Although these introductions are not in-depth, they matter. This is the start of your work relationships. But, don’t fret–you are not expected to remember everyone’s name on the first day.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph"><span class="RR-Font-Weight Bold">Lunch Break </span></div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">Sometimes your supervisor or coworkers will plan to take you out to lunch on the first day. Unless that is confirmed ahead of time, pack your lunch. If they surprise you with lunch plans, that’s great. Your packed lunch will be fine in the fridge overnight (and you’ll be ahead of the game for tomorrow). If not, you won’t be starving or scrambling at the last minute about where to go for lunch.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph"><span class="RR-Font-Weight Bold">Information Overload</span></div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">The above are mostly superficial, although very real, worries. Your actual job and its responsibilities are on a whole other anxiety level.</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">Take a deep breath (or breaths as needed).</div><div class="wp-block-reyrey-js-paragraph">Remember: you were hired for a reason. You have the intelligence, skills, and willingness to learn that makes you a perfect fit for your new position. Your boss and your coworkers want to see you succeed on your first day and on all the days ahead.</div></div></section>