Office Dynamics

The dynamics of working in an office present a very unique experience, especially as an intern. There is a fine line to walk between: friendship and respect with your co-workers, lunch-breaks and work-breaks, and working hard and looking like a clown. Everyday normal activities are transformed into tasks which if taken out of context, will have serious effects on any of these relationships.

One such task I encountered today was the installation of a pin-board in our office. Pin-boards are one of those things which seem like a great idea at the time, but usually end up being disappointing and useless (like philosophy degrees and buying girls drinks). Nonetheless, I was presented with a task and as the eager intern I am, got straight to work.

The first problem with installing this pin-board, was somehow attaching it to the concrete walls which line our office. This implicated disrupting the entire office by the sound of the drill used to install the hooks. The next step involved nailing in brackets onto the board itself. This presented a problem, as there was not a single hammer available anywhere. I instead resorted to using an empty Coke bottle to pound in the nails, in the process of which bending them beyond use. I ventured outside to find a large rock to straighten out the nail.

As I lifted the rock, I looked up, and saw my supervisor Mr. DeSuza watching what I was doing. The look on his face perfectly conveyed his confusion as to why of 50,000 students, had York sent him this joke. Not that I could blame him, if I ever hired an employee and found out he spent two hours trying to install a pin-board with nothing but an empty Coke bottle, a large rock, and a single broken nail, I would fire him on the spot. If only Mr. DeSuza knew of the context in which these tools had come together, he would surely understand. However, in my nervous fit, I could not form the sentences to explain the situation. What came out instead was an incomprehensible string of mumbled together sentences, followed by a few giggles, and finally ended in me running away. I avoided him the rest of the day in the hope that he might forget what had just transpired.

I’m not sure what lesson I should have learned from this experience, but it was probably pretty important.