Corporate America Has Their Grip Around My Throat
This past week was nonstop for me. I’m pretty sure other people have had worse, but it was definitely MY busiest week this semester. Monday was school and after, I had an impromptu meeting with the club treasurer to talk about the club’s budget for each event. We were both mad because one of the other events had gone 1000 dollars over budget! It affects me because those other events are supposed to be considered 'small'. If they go over budget before the big events that I’m in charge of hosting, it messes up my plans, too!
Tuesday, I scheduled a meeting with Club President and Treasurer. Club President is very nice, but can’t lead other people. Some people in the board haven’t even began their job even though it’s already almost halfway through the semester. At least if we meet face-to-face, I can get problems sorted instantly and actually see her doing her job. All three of us met up at a Starbucks and did nonstop work until they closed. I set up my Etiquette Dinner event with them and even got a head start at my end-of-the-year Awards Ceremony event. Club President and Treasurer worked together on reimbursements and replanning the budget for our future events.
Wednesday, I had an exam for one my classes. It was an easy exam since she allowed a cheat sheet, but it only took a long time because of writing out the short answers. I had the answer instantaneously in my head, but actually putting it down on paper took so long. After the exam, I skipped my next class again to meet up with the board members again like last time before the club’s tech meeting. This time, I was already aware. I wasn’t meeting up to be friends with them, but rather used the time of seeing them to double check if they’re doing their job. It was me, Club President, Treasurer, and Internal Audit. We were talking about the expenses of the 2 upcoming socials (a corn maze and a hike to go apple-picking) and if anyone was going. There was simple conversations before the time of the tech meeting. We got into the conference room together and ran into VP of Tech Meetings and Director of Newsletter, and started setting up chairs and tables. Club President went to go check on the food for the meeting, VP of Tech Meeting was outside chatting with the company professionals to get them started for their presentations, and everyone was left inside to help other club members getting in and seated. We had some downtime to kill so I used that opportunity to chew out Director of Newsletter. His job is simple. Sending out weekly newsletters to all the members to remind them of what’s coming up that week. It’s such an easy job but he does it WRONG. He forgets some events and doesn’t include them in the newsletters, he can’t keep the same font or format throughout the whole singular email, and sends out the wrong time and place for some events. I did it all in a joking manner, but was actually very annoyed.
Right at 7pm, VP of Tech Meetings let the professionals come inside to meet us, so we could network before their presentation. I don’t like this part since I’m introverted, so I would covertly sneak out of the room for a couple minutes and come back when they’re starting their presentation. This week, I was a bit more scared because one of the companies that were presenting had interviewed me for a job a few months ago. The interview went horribly. It was my fault. I hadn’t done enough research and one of the partners (rightfully) chewed me out. To say the least, I cried in the company’s parking lot for 30 minutes after that interview. I sent you ‘thank you’ emails after, but was completely ghosted. Anyways, that exact company partner had sat down right next to me. My hands were literally shaking when I saw them. It wasn’t real shaking though. It was more so because a million thoughts were racing in my head “I should move my phone. I should fix my skirt. I should move my backpack.” I would begin of one of the thoughts and be interrupted with another, so my hand would be reached out for my skirt, then moved to my phone very sporadically and it just looked like I was shaking or spazzing out. My lips did, however, swell up because I kept pursing them firmly together out of nervousness. Everyone was introducing themselves, and when it came to my turn, I straight up lied. I gave them a fake name, hoping he didn’t remember my face, but of course nothing works out for me.
“Your name’s Lia?”
“Yep.”
“You look pretty familiar. Have we met before?”
“Nope, I’ve never seen you before in my life. This is our first time meeting.”
“Ahh. So this is when the lying starts.”
Ahh, caught red handed. Whatever. Even caught in a lie or not, I couldn’t look at any of those company’s employees in the eye and I hoped that if they couldn’t see my face, they wouldn’t completely remember who I was. I was still mortified from my terrible interview. When they were presenting, I didn’t want to be rude and not pay attention, so I just looked at the 2 presenters’ shoes and pants. After their presentation, another company went up to present and it made me a bit calmer. I was actually able to look them in the eye.
Thursday, it was my club’s event-of-the-semester. Together with our sister club, all of our company sponsors would gather with all of of our members as a giant career fair for everyone to meet and network. You’re advised to bring AT LEAST 15 resumes and the dress code is business professional. The venue was held at a hotel this time and was from 5:30pm-8:30pm. Club President was giving me a ride to the hotel since I was scared driving on such a crowded street. I met up with her around 4 and we went together to prepare for the event. We printed out name tags for the professionals, got extra equipment from our storage unit, and printed out the map for the event. We got there a bit late but still managed. Some companies asked for my resume and I got some business cards, but my hopes aren’t too high. The event ran smoothly. Some board members still stuck with us after the event ended to help us take everything down, and all of us agreed to go out for drinks. It was a group of eight people, and everyone, excluding Club President, took shots together. Everyone was nice and we all traded Instagrams. It was fun, but short because we all had to leave at 10:30pm since Club President was a minor and that was when the DJ was coming.
Friday, early 10am there was an office tour from one of our company sponsors. I got up at 7am and started driving at 8am. Compared to another office tour I went to a few weeks ago, I enjoyed this company a lot more. The other office tour was almost 4 hours long and filled with “activities” like Nerf gun games, indoor golfing, and axe throwing games. That company excessively expressed how all the employees were “like family” and always helped each other out, and bragged out how relaxing and fun they are. I don’t like that so much in a company. When I work, I’m there to work. If I actually wanted to go golfing, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t need another family. I’m just here to do my job, get paid, and leave. I also don’t like helping other people out. If I can do my job on my own, so can you. This recent office tour was fast. Only an hour long and had none of those stupid activities. It was my dream company. Everyone was working on their own in their own cubicles. I fell in love.
Anyways, that was my whole week. Busy, but interesting for sure.