As an avid lover of "The Office," one of the things I connect with the most is the dynamic between all the Dunder Mifflin employees and the minor problems they face each day. Since I am currently working an 8-to-6 job (5:30 on Fridays, yay!), the daily struggle of making it through the day and all the events that come with it are hilariously and accurately portrayed on "The Office."
1. The night before the dreaded first day.
Obviously, one of the most important and nerve-wracking parts of starting a new job is determining who your "work friends" are going to be. But despite finding your "work clique" you still want everyone else to like you.
2. Receiving your first task on the job.
*Starts dreading the endless number of Excel spreadsheets that the job entails*
Because your boss expects you to sit down at your desk and be able to finish the project the exact way they want it, without telling you what it is that they want.
3. When a disgruntled client is rude to you on the phone.
This one is tough, because despite how rude the person is and how terrible they make you feel about the way you are handling their call, answering politely to rude people sucks. And, since you're answering the phone as part of your job, you cannot be rude back. Life is not fair.
4. When you finally hang up the disastrous phone call and pretend like nothing happened.
*self confidence*
5. Getting called into your boss' office.
Please don't fire me. I haven't even had my coffee yet so I'm obvi not doing my best work.
6. Seeing pictures of your friends vacationing, hitting the beach, getting tan and all around having much more fun than you are.
Can I get tan from fluorescent lights? I think I already know the answer to that. But I should still look it up. I mean, I have time, right?
7. When your "work friend" sees themselves as a "real life friend" and invites you out on the weekend.
://///////
8. Going to the kitchen at lunch and realizing someone stole or even threw out your food. *gasps*
I agree with Michael. It's food. It's also mine. Do I have to put it in a lunch box with my name on it in glitter glue? Stealing food is (or should be) a hate crime.
9. Spending your whole paycheck in a week without realizing it, then checking your bank account...
*because Chipotle is a thing*
*so is Starbucks*
"You can't just say the word 'bankruptcy' and expect anything to happen," Well thanks, Oscar. But I can hope some dolla' bills magically find themselves at home in my wallet.
10. Then there are the few occasions when your boss asks you to work overtime.
I work enough as it is. I'm not even achieving my summer goal of developing a nice golden glow. Instead, I look washed out in this all white office with the fluorescent lights countering the flattering natural light from the windows. (And yeah, I looked it up. Can't get tan from fluorescent lights). Please just let me live my life.
11. It's 5 p.m. on Friday, almost quitting time, and you cannot wait to book it out of the office.
5:30 p.m. rolls around, and I have never felt more alive.
12. Then Monday comes waaaay too quickly, but you know you spent your weekend wisely.
Kevin is the real MVP.
So that's it. We're all a little bit like Michael Scott (and even Dwight and Kevin :/). You are not alone in your weekly struggle that is going to work. And just know that the employees of Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch will always be there for you (on Netflix) to commiserate with.