LOH Contest #188: From The Awkwardness To Fitting In.

Being in a new environment can be quite an exciting experience. Leaving your comfort zone once in a while and experiencing life out there can be fun. As much as I love the thrill of being somewhere entirely different from what I'm used to, I hate being the 'new kid'. Something about being a newbie makes me want to crawl inside my imaginary shell and never come out. The anxiety and self-consciousness I feel each time I walk into a new space gets really overwhelming sometimes.

I remember when I had to make a compulsory switch to another school during my senior high. If there was a way I could've stopped that from happening, I would've done it . I was excited quite alright, because I heard the school was one of the good schools in town and it was quite popular. I couldn't wait to get admitted after completing the necessary requirements for new students.

Finally, I was accepted and my excitement was on another level. The monday I was supposed to start, I asked my Mom to take me to school. The reaction I got was a laugh, then the question "are you a baby?"
I just wanted her to take me so I can be less tensed from all the anxiety I was feeling. She gave in after so many pleading and pestering, well maybe because her workplace was just along the way. When we got to the gate of the school she asked, "should I also come with you to class?".
Even if I wanted her to, there was no way I would take my mom to class, I don't want the get the 'mommy's girl' tag on my first day.

I headed straight to the Principal's office and after the formalities, he had to show me to my class. When we got to the class, it was mid lecture, the principal had to interrupt and introduce that there was a 'new kid' joining. All eyes was on me now, I managed to tell everyone my name without stuttering and the teacher asked me to sit so the class could.

Even though I could feel stares from all angles throughout the course of the lecture, I kept my composure relatively calm. After the class, a few girls came around and said hi, they helped me get my stuff together and we had some chats. One thing about me is that, it takes just one nice person to make me feel relaxed in a new setting. So after the chats I had with the girls, I felt calmer. However one thing I didn't like was having to introduce myself all over each time a teacher walks in to teach.

After that first day, I was more eager to go to school. I made more nice friends in my class who even offered to help me update my notes. Others showed my around the school environment, I joined quite few groups that I found really interesting and with time, that sense of belonging was gradually creeping in. It is true that I also met some mean faces, not everyone liked the 'new kid', regardless, I was happy to have made some connections that lifted the initial awkwardness I felt on the first day.

When I finally left highschool, I became more exposed to new settings and environments. I decided to learn hairstyling right after my final exams, the first day I walked into the beauty house as an apprentice reminded me of my experience in school. Thankfully, I rocked it. The awkwardness was there, the anxiety and the those feelings, yet everything got settled in no time. My experiences led me to discover that I easily adapt to changes faster. I'm a light hearted person, so each time I find myself in a new environment, I just randomly say some funny that gets everyone laughing and that is my trick to ease the atmosphere.

Being the new kid is a phase we all have to go through once upon a time in our lives. It may not always be so easy to fit into somewhere new after we've left our comfort zones. The key is being positive and always hoping for the best, taking our chances to form connections where possible and it may really be surprising when we look back and smile because we rocked it!