I was terrorized and trapped into agreeing to go to the Company Christmas/Holiday party...

I suspect I will be sorry and it may ruin my career-run, but I agreed to attend the office party. I'm not going to lie, I do feel like it's a small achievement, but now that I am committed the fear and panic is starting to erupt. I'm just not that good in party environments and it now seems with people I know and work with it actually will be worse than if I didn't know anyone at all.

Surprisingly, I am not that good at spontaneous conversation that has no productive outcome or use. It's possible I come across as shy and socially awkward (a bit). And, while I can put on a good act for a short burst of time, all night is going to be literally impossible, not to mention energy depleting. And, I don't know there will be a way to make an easy, early exit. Parties should be banned for work environments.

But, there is no practical way out of it now.

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MethDozer · M

Grow a pair

MarkPaul · 26-30, M

@MethDozer Well, that's not really the issue.

deadgerbil · 26-30, M

@MarkPaul the real issue is that you weren't socialized properly. Someone asking you an ordinary question has you freaking out and posting about it on here lol and you lack the intelligence to see just how goofy you look while claiming you don't have a problem

MarkPaul · 26-30, M

@deadgerbil Well, they aren't exactly ordinary questions. These isolated incidents that you exaggerate and twist into something more than what they are more like intrusions when I am not expecting them. It's really nothing more than that. And, I don't freak out... I mean not really. Maybe in the moment... for a moment. But only sometimes. And, I know how to socialize.

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MarkPaul · 26-30, M

@deadgerbil I'm not here to entertain you. And again, I have no problem with basic interactions. I'm just shy, I guess you can say. So, it takes me a little more time than I guess others to interact with others... so yeah it feels like a trace of fear. I don't know, maybe I'm exaggerating in that moment, so it comes across that way because in these isolated incidents, I was caught off-guard. I'm just being honest with how I am feeling in that moment. Maybe I was terrorized, but if I was it was only that once and it was an extraordinary circumstance. In any case, I think I'm doing a good job of doing better.