I Don't Wanna Share!

Something’s happened at work this week that has caused me to step back and look at myself in a way I never thought I’d have to. It seems that after 3 ½ years of living in a single dorm room, having my own room in the basement, my own office and now my own apartment, I am no longer used to sharing my space with people. I have become a spoiled only child of sorts, and I don’t like what I’ve become!

I never used to be this way. I didn’t get my own room at home until I was in high school. I have two sisters and we all shared one bathroom growing up. And even though I had my own room for most of college, I still lived in a freakin’ dorm with 50 or so people living on one floor. More people lived in any given residence hall than were in my hometown. I slept in a bunk bed until my senior year of high school, chances are when I go home, I’ll be sleeping in that same bunk bed. Okay, yes I admit I did my fair share of whining about not having my own room way back in the day, but I was a teenager, give me a break. For the most part, sharing space with people has never been a problem.

Until this week.

On Tuesday, I got full time office-mate. I am really happy about this. With the summer session about ready to kick in full-force and with the accounting involved with the other youth service agency we’re financially supporting, another admin person has been desperately needed for the last couple of months. And even though I’ve enjoyed learning basic accounting skills, I will happily turn over the majority of my accounting duties to E. Even better, unlike my last office mate, I won’t have to ask them every five minutes if they know what they’re supposed to be doing or if they need something else to do. (you can only nag a 15 year old boy for so long before you just feel like, well, a nag)

E and I now share an office. The space I once occupied solo is far too large for one person. However, putting two people, along with a copy machine, color printer, water cooler, mailboxes, time clock, filing cabinets and various office supplies, it’s just not big enough for two people. A week into the new working environment and I’m not sure how I feel about sharing my office on a fulltime basis. Our desks sit about three feet apart, no cubicles, or partitions. Any privacy I may have once had, has now disappeared.

The fact that I have any qualms about this makes me feel petty and shallow. It really bothers me that I’m bothered by this. The week has steadily gotten better, which is a good sign, so I’m hoping by the end of next week (which is only a four day week for me, anyway, woohoo!) things will feel normal again.