I started a new job six months ago and as part of the contract, I go for 'block release' teaching in Edinburgh for 2-3 weeks at a time, maybe three months inbetween. There are three of us from my firm that go and on the first block, one of the other girls befriended a girl sitting alone behind us who had come from her firm alone. She got talking with us and has ended up tagging along with our group ever since.
I am 34, the majority of the rest of them are just out of uni, early 20s, one guy is 30. I don't make good first impressions so am conscious at the moment that these new people aren't very sure about me and I'm on my best behaviour (most of the time) so no fm grumpiness (which is never aimed at anyone - and generally my mates know just to make fun of me and I will snap out of it). I like to think I can get along with everyone but this one new girl we have adopted, for want of a better way of putting it, does my nut in.
My perception of her is that she is shallow, self centred, not at all invested in what we are all trying to achieve, thinks it's funny to sit during an exam and just do nothing, focuses solely on partying and getting drunk and doesn't give a damn if she fails because her father runs the firm who are funding her to come on this course.
She has openly made silly comments about other lesser attractive folk in the class, that they will not be 'getting any', can't complete a sentence without using the word 'like' fifty million times, and tends to drop us all like hot potatoes if she finds someone more interesting to talk to. E.g. A boy.
BUT. The other girls in our group hang off her every word, copy her so think it's cool to say they haven't done any work (and then text me in a panic the night before, but then appear p!ssed off with me when they see how much studying notes I've taken). This girl makes me feel old and fat and I don't like her for it.
Sadly she gets the same train as me part way home and I have tried to chat, to get on with her, and all I tend to walk away with, is a sack load of information about her - but no return of the favour. I got to the point in the last few days where I had just had enough and decided to opt out, go quiet and just let the two in particular, get on with it.
I know I'm probably being unfair on this girl, I was her age before and I partied a lot, had fun, made some mistakes, but I feel like she thinks she's the only one who's cool because she's doing it and she's pretty unfair with her comments and opinions and just downright immature saying 'these mock exams don't matter' all the time, that doing no work is cool and giggling. I tried to point out that since our work is sponsoring us through all of this, we really need to put the effort in so that if we do fail the real thing, they don't actually fire us on the spot as they can see we've really tried but she doesn't seem to understand.
I guess she just shines a mirror up to me being an old fat grumpy goodie two shoes that has spent the last twelve years in a dead end job and doesn't want to go back there.
Even when I worked in my old job with lots of younger folk though, I didn't feel this old and 'uncool'. I hate that one person makes me feel this way and hate that I hate her - I haven't felt this way since my early 20s, generally I feel that there is always some common ground or side to folk that you can get on with, but ugh I can't find it with this one and I don't think I want to!
So anyone else got one person in their group that they just don't gel with? How do you cope without getting left out? Sorry for the whinge, I'm just low after exam yesterday - 3 weeks of travel, study, teaching, and no sleep has taken it out of me and I can't moan to anyone cause I chose this career change and knew it would be tough going!
I am 34, the majority of the rest of them are just out of uni, early 20s, one guy is 30. I don't make good first impressions so am conscious at the moment that these new people aren't very sure about me and I'm on my best behaviour (most of the time) so no fm grumpiness (which is never aimed at anyone - and generally my mates know just to make fun of me and I will snap out of it). I like to think I can get along with everyone but this one new girl we have adopted, for want of a better way of putting it, does my nut in.
My perception of her is that she is shallow, self centred, not at all invested in what we are all trying to achieve, thinks it's funny to sit during an exam and just do nothing, focuses solely on partying and getting drunk and doesn't give a damn if she fails because her father runs the firm who are funding her to come on this course.
She has openly made silly comments about other lesser attractive folk in the class, that they will not be 'getting any', can't complete a sentence without using the word 'like' fifty million times, and tends to drop us all like hot potatoes if she finds someone more interesting to talk to. E.g. A boy.
BUT. The other girls in our group hang off her every word, copy her so think it's cool to say they haven't done any work (and then text me in a panic the night before, but then appear p!ssed off with me when they see how much studying notes I've taken). This girl makes me feel old and fat and I don't like her for it.
Sadly she gets the same train as me part way home and I have tried to chat, to get on with her, and all I tend to walk away with, is a sack load of information about her - but no return of the favour. I got to the point in the last few days where I had just had enough and decided to opt out, go quiet and just let the two in particular, get on with it.
I know I'm probably being unfair on this girl, I was her age before and I partied a lot, had fun, made some mistakes, but I feel like she thinks she's the only one who's cool because she's doing it and she's pretty unfair with her comments and opinions and just downright immature saying 'these mock exams don't matter' all the time, that doing no work is cool and giggling. I tried to point out that since our work is sponsoring us through all of this, we really need to put the effort in so that if we do fail the real thing, they don't actually fire us on the spot as they can see we've really tried but she doesn't seem to understand.
I guess she just shines a mirror up to me being an old fat grumpy goodie two shoes that has spent the last twelve years in a dead end job and doesn't want to go back there.
Even when I worked in my old job with lots of younger folk though, I didn't feel this old and 'uncool'. I hate that one person makes me feel this way and hate that I hate her - I haven't felt this way since my early 20s, generally I feel that there is always some common ground or side to folk that you can get on with, but ugh I can't find it with this one and I don't think I want to!
So anyone else got one person in their group that they just don't gel with? How do you cope without getting left out? Sorry for the whinge, I'm just low after exam yesterday - 3 weeks of travel, study, teaching, and no sleep has taken it out of me and I can't moan to anyone cause I chose this career change and knew it would be tough going!
