Anxiety about starting a new job?

[.Poppy.]

I'm starting a new job tomorrow - it will be the first part time job I've had in awhile. It is work in a deli.

Honestly? I can't help but be terrified. I feel that every step of the way: the interview, the orientation I attended, and now the training is just pushing me one step farther past my comfort zone. Overall, I do understand this is good, but I am just stressed to the max.

I am fretting about every little thing - if I will park in the wrong spot; if it will be too busy when I show up and I won't be able to find the person I am supposed to be training with; if the girl I'm supposed to train with will resent me being there; if I will wear the right clothes or just look stupid; etc, etc. I'm a friendly person, but am somewhat shy and am terrified that I'm not going to make any friends or get along with anyone there. I am afraid of being fired. I also went through the handbook and it all seemed so "official" and I'm not sure that this is where I want to be.

Quitting isn't an option - I've been looking for a job for awhile and I really do want the income. And I have the feeling that once I get past this awfulness, I will like having this job. It's just such a daunting week to get through and I have this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. I just want to curl up in bed and sleep for like the next ten years.

Words of advice? Encouragement? Experience? I'll take what I can get here. Thanks.

[pinkdove]

Hi Poppy, you will feel a bit nervous for a few days, but so is everyone when they start a new job.

Remember it is a hugh step for you, and you will meet lots of new friends and it will become a distraction from your anxiety, once you settle in,

You will do this, you can and you will, so good luck with your new job, and let us know how is goes x

[.Poppy.]

Thank you for your reply

I just finished. It was exhausting - I'm in training so I only worked four hours and it was the looongest four hours of my life, lol. A lot of standing and running around.

I'm still not totally comfortable with the job (I think I'd like it more if it were more specialized instead of just running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to figure out what I need to be doing) but hopefully I'll get there. The bright side is the manager told me they hire a lot of employees to cover shifts as we're basically all college students, so I probably won't get an awful lot of hours - which is just fine. I'll take what I can get, I'll take the experience, but I do think I need to ease myself in.

So, hopefully I can memorize the menu, get more comfortable, make some friends, etc. People seem friendly and I really am trying; we'll see how it goes.