Living for the city...the importance of true friends.

No matter where life takes you, don't forget where you came from. -Anon

I have come to realise just how important this is when you move to a big city and undertake what is nowadays considered as a 'proper grown up person job'.  Quick heads up: Office jobs really aren't as scary as they appear to be and just because you throw on a suit everyday doesn't make you some big business entrepreneur who is far more important than anyone else.  Working in Moorgate amongst bankers and men rushing about with briefcases late for their next meeting can feel intimidating though- not gonna lie.  The key is to make it look as though you absolutely know what you're doing and to trick the bankers into thinking that you belong as part of their clan too.  It's a defence mechanism.  Holding a Starbucks cup and checking your watch whilst vaguely looking important helps too!   

I have recently become one of those really irritating people who dons the brightly coloured trainers with suit look on the tube.  Man, I despise myself, but heels in rush hour, yeah, they hurt!  Maybe they're on to something?!  Don't worry though, it's all a game.  Power play and perception.  I feel as though sometimes I'm in my very own version of the Truman Show and that obstacles and events have been placed in my way as a sequence of challenges to test my character and human condition.  I have been lucky enough to have great colleagues who are all lovely and supportive due to belonging to one of the more close knit offices in Moorgate, but the sallow looks on the faces of the people I pass everyday make me feel that my neighbours aren't as lucky.  So how to create a life outside of your work persona?

Easy. Friends. Ahh lovely, loyal friends.             

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend 3 days in a row meeting up with different groups of 'home home' friends and it made me understand just how hard it can be to make such companions in central London.  Do they ever come close to comparing with your high school/uni chums? I'm not so sure.  I mean you get great friends at work but socialising out of work can be tricky, there's the whole awkwardness over the whole add on Facebook thing.  I mean are you really ready for your manager to see what sort of things you get up to?  Or what you may have 'liked' in the past? Probably not the best idea in a professional setting.  Surely that means they can never truly know the real you though?!

Night out with school buddies in London.

Then there's the peril of gym people that insist on befriending you whilst you're in the changing rooms and they're applying talc to awkward places.  I mean where do you look?!  If you only limit yourself to eye contact then it looks as though you're not comfortable with it but look anywhere else and you become a bit of a perv!  Nightmare.  

This is where the whole remembering your beginnings comes into play.  So keep in touch with old pals even if it's just skype and try and meet up with them when you can.  Trust me it does wonders for your sanity.  I am guilty of not doing this enough and know at times I need to make more of an effort. 

You don't want to get stuck in the corporate game.  Make your own rules and be ok with sometimes holding on to your past.  It's fine to want to experience new things and meet new people but just don't underestimate the true power of old friends in a big city.  Loyal friends are hard to come by so keep them close!