The workplace can be an interesting environment to be based upon who you are surrounded by. It varies in what type of employment, how big the company is, the amount of employees there are, and what the job title entails. For some workers, it could be hostile with gossipy cliques, in a cubicle environment. Others may have an open layout plan where they meet the same three to four people by the copier machine for that 9:30 a.m. coffee. Some people love who they work with, others are able to tolerate who they work with, and some cannot stand being in the same room with their coworkers.

I am fortunate enough to work with the same four people almost everyday. They are all full time employees, where as I am part time due to college. Working with the same four people could either drive a person insane, or it wouldn’t bother them at all. Lucky for me, I am privileged to work with four people who are very professional, and are also the best and brightest people I know.

We all look forward to Monday mornings. Monday is the day we all go on and on about what we did over the weekend. We are all comfortable enough with one another that it is okay to open up and discuss some personal matters (when you really really need to vent) and talk about our lives. We are a little family. We all get lunch together, sit and share our meals with one another, taking turns who picks up, or who takes a customer while we are all eating. It is very cooperative.

We give each other advice about everything under the sun from topics about boyfriends and husbands, cars, friendships (outside of work), parents, siblings, and whatever life decides to unexpectedly throw at us. Sometimes we go into crazy vent sessions and let it all out because sometimes, you can’t vent to your friends outside work, and venting to family about some things can be weird. We all have a great connection that we encourage to discuss rather than hold it all in.

We have a group chat on iMessage, so if something big happens when one of us is away, something is super funny, or just sending a message just to send, we all respond and discuss or just laugh. Same thing on Snapchat. It especially makes Monday’s interesting because I’ll come in, in the morning and I’ll get a look from one of them and they’ll say, “Well someone had an interesting weekend,” or “Wow wherever you were Saturday looked bananas.” Then I’ll proceed to laugh, take a sip of coffee, and divulge into a lengthy detailed story to give a visual play by play. Someone else will chime into the conversation as well making it hilarious and will relate with a similar story, which helps the work day fly by.

Some days, it will be super slow at work and we are twiddling our thumbs, browsing Pinterest, exchanging recipes, or playing Fun Run 2. More recently, we have been sitting down and playing a card game called 45s. It is not a well known card game to people unless you grew up in a certain area of Massachusetts. It is a bit difficult to understand, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very fun and competitive especially with coworkers. They taught me the game well, despite my frustration every time I get the ace of hearts, (because I never use it or use it correctly).

I hear a lot of people dread going to work. The 9-5 routine grows tedious, people become annoying, and a dreaded work funk can grow. I don’t ever truly dread going to work. I love work actually. The girls here are like a second family to me (aside from my college friends). Surprisingly enough, we are all connected through those small world moments and connections with people we know. It is kind of bizarre, but it definitely helps keep a comfortable and easy going environment. We understand when we can have our fun and when to be serious and do what we get paid to do.

I am truly grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful, compassionate, diverse, and intelligent group of women. I do not think I will ever have or be in a work environment such as this in the future, but can only hope it will be just as amazing as it is working with them now.