How to Lose Colleagues.. [Part 1]

This post is inspired by the 2001 memoir by Toby Young, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, and applies to all the lowly interns, long suffering assistants and hardened freelancers out there who endure complicated and painfully awkward relationships with their colleagues and employers. No? Just me then.

I don't know why, as someone who is well versed in constantly meeting new people and having to be polite to a fault (even when it's taking all your inner strength to stop you rolling your eyes and emitting a huge sigh), I find it virtually impossible to attend events or even have lunch without inducing a mild panic. Honestly, I would rather eat lunch alone and pretend to be scrolling through something really interesting on my phone than have a "get-to-know-you" lunch with someone at work. The same also applies to work drinks, networking events and even birthday gatherings. You know the ones, where you have to make small talk in order to get a slice of cake?

I suppose this post, and my life, differs to Young's in that he was seeking out a relationship with his colleagues whereas I am actively avoiding one. My boyfriend thinks it's bizarre that I never attend work related events, but I must say I find it equally weird that he considers people he works with on a par with his actual friends.. Maybe it's because, often, in fashion we are all competing against each other. It's not a straight forward industry, with plentiful secure jobs and fixed relationships. More often that not, you're end up being quite guarded as you're never sure where your next job is coming from. I've lost count of the number of times someone's mentioned the name of a stylist and then I've followed that contact up- it's all fair game, but doing that has made me realise that the same might be done to me.

Part II deals with alienating the very same colleagues you work so hard to avoid..

NB: I'm not sure if it makes it better or worse that I'm also overcome by this feeling in my own personal social interactions. I get the same wave of fear when meeting new people at birthdays and house-warmings, which turns me into some kind of barnacle- clinging to the person I've gone with in a desperate bid to avoid having to mingle with strangers.