Help! Going from fully remote to hybrid/onsite and I’m weirdly nervous about the social part
I’m 25F and I graduated a few years ago, but I’ve only ever worked remote jobs since then. So basically my entire “adult work life” has been behind a laptop, on Zoom/teams calls.
My company is starting to enforce hybrid/onsite work in a few months, and I’m honestly really nervous. Not because I can’t do my job, but because I don’t really know how to “be” in an office.
I’m worried about how I talk, how I portray myself, and how people will read me in person. Like, am I too quiet? Am I awkward? Do I sound childish? Do I talk too much when I’m nervous? Do I seem rude if I don’t know what to say? I feel like remote work gave me a lot of control over how people see me, and now the idea of being perceived all day feels overwhelming.
I’m also nervous about basic things like small talk, lunch conversations, walking into a room, joining group conversations, or knowing when to speak up. On Zoom, I can mute myself, think before answering, or type something out. In person, it feels like everything is instant and people can notice every little thing.
I know this probably sounds dramatic, but I feel like I missed out on learning normal office social skills. I don’t want to come across as cold, awkward, immature, or socially behind. I’m friendly, just anxious and out of practice.
For people who went from remote to hybrid/onsite, how did you learn to talk naturally at work? What do you say during casual moments without sounding forced? And how do you stop overthinking the way you come across?