#thearialligraphyproject

I ended up reflecting on this question more than I expected and saw how far I’ve come with the work I do, so I turned this question into a full post/article! Thank you to the person who sent this a long time ago, and I’m sorry for responding so so late!

Quick background: my first work experience happened way before COVID, but I also started a new job two weeks before our country went into lockdown. I’ll be anchoring my responses from these experiences. Please note that things may be different for anyone!

On a work desk tour
You can check out snippets of my desk setup on my Instagram Stories Highlights (filed under - work: upd, work: abs-cbn, and desk mini-tour)! My high school/uni study space is my dedicated work space now that I’m working from home (since March).

I’d love to do an official mini-tour as well because the way I currently use this space is way different from my school days, and it’d be nice to reflect on that! I’ll post more pics - or maybe make a vlog soon??

On first day jitters
Small disclaimer: some of these tips might depend on your employer’s hiring and onboarding process, and you know *gestures vaguely* COVID, but these are things that helped me a lot in my first job as well as my interns before their first day!

First things first, breathe! Although it’s normal to be nervous about starting a new job and stepping into a new environment, you can mitigate some of the anxiety by preparing days (and even weeks) before.

• Coordinate with your recruiter or HR. Aside from pre-employment preparations, ask them if they can give you a tour of the area and show you where the following places are: where to clock in and out, your work area, your immediate superior’s office, your teammates’ area, HR department, cafeteria, and the nearest lavatory from your office. These places are crucial to your survival on your first day. You can always familiarize yourself with the other surroundings as the days pass anyway.
• Refresh your memory about the company/organization. Sure you might have done your research for the job interview, but that doesn’t mean you no longer need that info. Browse their website and revisit their mission statement, org chart (if available), and other important details.
• Plan your outfit! The dress code is usually explicitly stated in the employee handbook/orientation (or you can ask HR about it). You can even get some outfit ideas from the people you come across in the building. It’ll help you adapt to the company culture and blend in.
• Make sure you pack a notebook and pens. And water! Check with your recruiter/HR if you need to bring other documents or supplies too.
• Optional: do a dry run of your commute to work. I usually do this early on (sometimes in the job interview and/or job offer stages) to make time adjustments.
• If it’s your first day and you’re already working remotely, try to have a plain background when attending video calls! This puts the focus of others on you and what you say rather than what’s around you in the room.

Lastly, try to relax the way you normally do. It’s easier than done, but remember that you were chosen out of the many candidates for a reason. You got this!

On making friends
Normally, someone else will make the first move to welcome you to the team. In any case, set a goal to talk to at least one person that day. This person can be your new teammate or someone who’s next to you/near your work area (okay now that I think about it, my first friends at work are always the receptionists and security guards rather than my teammates). You can make small talk (what do they do, how long have they been in the company, etc.) and even ask if you can get lunch together. Do keep in mind though that they may not be available to talk often or for a long time because of their own tasks.

People will naturally gravitate towards you the first few days. Take advantage of it and do be kind and respectful.

On showing up even if you’re tired
The first 3-5 months will be challenging because this is a period of adjustment for you. You’re navigating social circles and figuring out norms all while getting acquainted with your work. It’s a lot! But this also a good time to reconnect and remember your personal whats and whys - what is it about this company that made me want to work here? what is my favorite part of my job so far? what do i wish to achieve with this job? This may help you build purpose and motivation as you go to work everyday. Also, if things get overwhelming, it’s alright to take a step back and breathe. You have the skills to do the job, but it doesn’t mean that you need to have it all figured out at once.

In the long run, set clear boundaries, use your leaves or PTO, and use up that one hour ✨ unpaid ✨ lunch break. This is for your mental health and peace of mind. You are giving 7 or 8 hours (or more) of every day to your job but this is not all there is to it. A lot of people are very passionate about what they do and strongly identify with their job, and that’s okay too! Just remember to cultivate your inner life - make time for your hobbies and things that are important to you, hang out with your friends (ideally not your work friends + do this responsibly please), and take care of yourself.

-

Felt like the previous paragraph was a pep talk to myself so yeah! We’re all just figuring things out one day at a time. You’ll be okay. I hope anyone who comes across this still finds this post helpful especially since COVID has drastically changed the way work works! For new or follow-up questions, don’t hesitate to reach out via DM or my ask box!

It’s my first time to drop by in months and I’m so so sorry to everyone who sent me a message here but didn’t get a response!

I think I’m in a good headspace to answer some this week so you’ll see some posts from me pop on your dash! I’ll be choosing and answering questions related to art, organization, productivity, and work/studies! In case you want to add more questions, here’s the link to my ask box.

Please keep safe and take care of yourself!

Took inspiration from my day and night hustle for this month’s wallpaper set. Aside from your usual desktop and mobile version, I added an option where you can replace your default folder icon with the window for a cleaner look! I’m thinking of doing a set like this every now and then, so let me know what you think!

Download link:Ko-fi (tips are very much appreciated!) / Google Drive

+ I’d love to see how you use these freebies in your day-to-day activities! Please tag me on Instagram @arialligraphy or use #arialligraphy / #thearialligraphyproject here on Tumblr so that I can feature your post!

Tagged by @studydiaryofdoctora

1. Are you staying home from work/school? I’m staying home from work. My job is on-campus and I miss it dearly.

2. If you’re staying home, who’s there with you? My whole family.

3. Do you have pets to keep you company? Not anymore. My stray cat friend died last week.

4. Who do you miss the most? My friends and co-workers/teammates!

5. When was the last time you left your home? Around mid-March.

6. What was the last thing you bought? Milk tea-flavored ice cream!!

7. Is quarantine driving you insane or are you finally relaxed? Somewhere between? I’m grateful that the work I do is fun and meaningful, so it takes away A LOT of quarantine stress. But there are still times when I end up confronted by unresolved inner conflict and anxiety or I’m just plain exhausted. That’s when I really have to rely on my self-care practices in order to bounce back!

8. Are you a homebody? Yes but I won’t say no to an adventure or opportunity to go out and spend time with the people I love.

9. What movies have you watched recently? A lot of Ghibli films and Portrait of a Lady on Fire!!!

10. Any event that you were looking forward to that got cancelled? Travelling alone to some Southeast Asian countries and coming back to Thailand. Like an Eat, Pray, Love kind of thing!

11. What’s the worst thing that you’ve had to cancel? Same answer as #10!

12. What’s the best thing you’ve had to cancel? Hmm I can’t think of any! I set some really good plans for myself this year.

13. Do you have any new hobbies? Yes! Propagating plants!

14. What are you out of? Watercolor paper. I might start painting on the wall soon hahaha

15. What music are you listening to? Quite a lot! I’ve been vibin’ with different genres like jazz, bossa nova, alt-rock, and 70s/80s pop. For guilty pleasures, this is my playlist.

16. What shows are you watching? Mrs. America, Feel Good, Schitt’s Creek, and The Good Wife. Add me on TVTime!

17. What are you reading? The Labor Code of the Philippines and The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim

18. What are you doing for self-care? Making art, reflecting, regulating my emotions, managing my internal dialogue, and exercising are some of the things I’m doing!

18. Are you exercising? Yes! It’s part of my morning routine.

19. How’s your toilet paper supply? We’re all good! I think people in my area started coming into their senses about this and are just buying the amount they need. Phew.

20. Have you made any changes to your hair during quarantine? I’m actually glad that I haven’t! I’ve been resisting the urge to cut or dye it.

Tagging five random followers, but if you want to do this, feel free to be considered tagged by me! Sending love and light! Hope you’re all safe and healthy! @writewithalemon@letterstouniverse@thisperspective@mindofshe@jennybenny10

By Ariadne Arambulo | 3 min. read

This time last year, there was a persistent thought that visited me in the most random times of the day and stayed with me until late at night. It always stirred feelings of doubt, discomfort, and dissociation. No amount of self-help podcasts, hours upon hours of work, or essential oils could suppress it.

Facing it meant tearing down things I just started to build. Facing it meant spending more time in my head - which isn’t always a nice place to visit. Facing it meant admitting that I had cultivated a false sense of security and stability in the past months. And it wasn’t going to be pretty.

But for the first time in a long time, I let myself become vulnerable. It was a painful decision to make because I knew the risks and what I was inviting once again. True enough, there were moments of loss, anxiety, and anger but I learned that they were also necessary for me to gain clarity of mind. Grow through what you go through, as they say. I needed those moments to ultimately decide to leave my job, to become more involved in the world around me, to embrace my intense will for freedom and creativity, and to simply find my way back.

2019 was incredibly formative and I will always look back at it with fondness and gratitude. As of today, I am in the place of crossing the threshold between knowing and taking action, and all I can hope for is that I’ll have the courage and resilience to keep moving forward. :)

Some things that made the year extra special:

• My undergraduate research won first place in a national competition! This eventually opened up opportunities for me to share my findings at an international conference and to some of the heads of the company I worked in.

• Visited Bangkok, Thailand! I certainly miss taking my midnight strolls, getting lost in the city, trying all kinds of food, and immersing myself in their art and culture. This was the first time I was able to go around on my own in a different country, so I learned a whole bunch of things about myself along the journey. Tbh, a lot of things changed for me after this trip! (But that’s something I’ll talk about in another post, maybe)
• I got promoted at work and loved the account I handled. Most of all, I loved working with the college kids and being there for them throughout their internship with the company. Even though things were always happening so quickly, those moments taught me to adapt, make good decisions and solutions, and hold on to my humanity.
• Reconnected with art after months of being preoccupied with my day job. And I hope I won’t lose touch with it again because it really felt like a part of me was missing. :((
• Fell in love with new music, movies, and TV shows. (Browse through my faves on SpotifyandTV Time!)