The Things Nobody Tells You About Starting Your First Real Job

Okay, I missed another week. Fucking sue me, I was sick.

Anyway, I’ve been having my first ‘big girl job’ since May, and there are a few things I’ve noticed. Things no one really told me about. So I thought, let me write about this. Maybe it’ll help someone who’s starting soon.

1. How weird it is to suddenly have somewhere to be every morning

Going to college or university, at least in Belgium, is pretty ‘relaxed’. You have days you don’t even really have to go in. Classes in the afternoon, and sometimes you don’t really have to go to those either. Of course, you have mandatory classes, and some people have more than others. But still, that might only be two or three mornings a week.

When you start working, you’re expected to be somewhere at 8 or 9 AM. And honestly, it takes weeks to get used to that schedule. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re exhausted during the first few weeks. It takes a WHILE to get used to waking up early, getting ready, commuting, working all day, and then doing it all over again the next day.

2. Being tired, but in a different way

Me, I work in Paid Socials, Marketing, so I have a desk job. Yet somehow, I come home and I am exhausted.

The good thing is, when you come home from school or college, you usually still have things to do. Homework, studying, assignments, whatever. When you work, you sometimes have things to finish depending on your job, but in my case, not really. At least not every week or even every month.

You come home and you get to relax. Unless you have something to do, of course.

And I don’t know why, but there’s something so nice about knowing that when you’re done working, you’re done. No exam to study for. No assignment hanging over your head. No “shit, I forgot to do that.”

Your evening is just yours.

3. Discovering that sometimes you actually like being busy

This is something I realised when I was looking for a job.

From February until May, I was at home without a job. At first, it was amazing, right? Because before that, I had school, I had a student job, I had all these responsibilities. Basically, every day was packed. So taking a breather for a week or three was SO good.

But then?

OMG.

I wanted to rip my hair out from boredom. I realised that I actually like being busy. I like having somewhere to be and something to do. I like having a reason to get up in the morning. Now I have work, so I basically have something to do every day. But realistically, I only have one thing to do: go to work. And once I’m done, the day is completely mine.

I don’t have to think about homework. I don’t have exams to study for. I don’t have a huge list of assignments waiting for me.

I work, I come home, and then I can do whatever the fuck I want. And honestly? I love that.

4. Missing student life even though you don’t miss studying

To follow up on my last point, I really do miss student life. Don’t get me wrong. Not the studying, though.

This will be the first new school year where I won’t be attending school, and it feels weird. I’ll miss the cold mornings, getting a hot coffee and having a smoke with my friends while mentally preparing ourselves for a fuckass morning class.

I’m also going to miss the cozy study sessions. Not the studying, but everything else around it. Getting snacks. Talking. Complaining. Taking breaks every five minutes. Somehow spending three hours together while barely getting anything done. It’s something that’s really dear to me, and it’s crazy to think that I won’t have that again. At least, I don’t plan on going back to school anytime soon.

But you never know, I guess.

5. Realizing weekends are precious

Enjoy your weekends!!

And I don’t mean go out every time or do something just so you don’t ‘miss out’. JUST enjoy your weekends.

If you have something fun planned, amazing! Have the greatest time. If you don’t have anything planned? Also fucking amazing.

Take the time to breathe. Sleep in. Watch a series. Read a book. Clean your room/house. Go for a coffee. Do absolutely nothing.

Just recharge. I think that’s something I’m slowly learning. You don’t have to make every weekend memorable just because you only have two days before Monday comes around again. 

Sometimes the best weekend is the one where you do absolutely fuck all.

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I’m lucky that I landed a job I’m thoroughly enjoying right now. I love the company, the brand, the people, and just my life at the moment.

And I genuinely wish that for everyone starting out.

I know what I have is rare, so this definitely isn’t the norm. I’m not saying you shouldn’t expect an amazing first job, but I do think it’s good to be realistic, of course. Your first job might be amazing. It might also suck. You might love it. You might hate it. You might learn a lot. You might realise you want to do something completely different.

And that’s okay too.

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that starting your first real job is just another weird transition in your twenties. You’re suddenly not a student anymore, but you’re also nowhere near having everything figured out.

You’re just… doing it. One morning at a time.

Okay, I think I’ve scripted enough here lol. I’m done. Have an amazing week, my loves.

If you have tips you want to share with someone starting their first job, or you have your own insights, drop them in the comments!