“The British have a knack for comedies about social awkwardness. That’s only natural, given that we have a knack for social awkwardness full stop.” This quote is taken from an article published a few weeks ago in The Telegraph, reviewing the new Channel 4 comedy ‘Fresh Meat’ and examining why us Brits (or some 2,352,000 of us who tuned in to watch the first episode) get a certain sort of masochist pleasure out of watching people squirm uncomfortably.
Ironically this show premiered around the same time that I started at Maxus; so for my first blog (ever!) I thought it seemed fitting to talk about how it feels being the ‘fresh meat’. Thankfully, my experiences have not been at all comparable to those of the characters in the sitcom. At no point have I found myself rambling on about my Egyptian cotton sheets and so far there has been no sign that Rigby has Russell Brand’s head hidden in her drawer.
Nevertheless, it is always nerve-wracking starting out somewhere completely new – like your first day at school all over again, but your parents aren’t there to drop you at the gate and without the comfort of a school uniform, there is the inevitable panic about what to wear. My first day feels like a very long time ago now and my sleepless night before that first day seems ludicrous because, as I came to realise almost immediately, once you step through those (very heavy) doors, you are part of the Maxus family.
There has been a lot to learn, both on and off my training checklist, but it is surprising how much you can pick up in 3 weeks. I’ve pretty much got to grip with what a TVR is and I know that Stuart likes menus, especially ones with the calories listed on them. One thing that I have picked up on though is how many opportunities there are to learn or OTH (eh!) both inside and outside of the office; whether sat at my desk, in a boardroom, on offsite training or in the pub on a Friday evening, there are always people around that are willing to share with you what they know. As a new starter to media and a London ‘fresher’, this has been invaluable, and often insightful.
All in all, these first few weeks have flown by in a blur of media jargon, planning systems and free Krispy Kreme’s. I am sure that by my next blog I will be a much more seasoned member of the media crew, but for now I’ll just carry on making notes on everything I can and thanking my lucky stars that (so far) no one here has offered me a bowl of “special Munge”.