How To Survive A Cubicle

Grey walls and frequent trips to a water cooler; two things that would make any art student panic. If you asked nineteen year old Nichole if she'd ever work in a cubicle, she would bluntly tell you that would never happen (she was hoping that she'd be famous by twenty). Well, nineteen year old Nichole didn't have bills and a mortgage to pay, but I sure do now!

I'm really lucky to have a nice office job, but that doesn't mean it suits me. I'm not a cameleon, so there's no way I could change who I am to fit into 'typical' cubicle life, so I changed my cubicle to reflect who I am! I'm going to share a few things that have helped me survive cubicle life, and hopefully they'll be helpful to you too. If the idea of sitting in a tiny desk space for eight hours a day makes you feel twitchy, this is for you.

Bruce and Mr. J, two of my co-workers.

 Treat others how you like to be treated. I know it's a cliche, but it's so true! Be nice to people. Say good morning, smile, and above all DON'T gossip. Save the gossip for personal hours away from the office. You don't need to become great friends with everyone, that's impossible, but you can at least make the effort to be kind to others. Be a part of the morning coffee trip and say happy birthday to your co-workers. If everyone would be polite, there wouldn't be crazy office drama, and everyone could have a comfortable working environment. Sound too good to be true? It is. There's always going to be at least one person who's a total weiner to get along with, but your job is to NOT BE THAT PERSON. Remember this: As long as you're not the weiner, you're the winner. Boom.







I went a little far with this one, but it's what makes me happy. Personalize your space. Bring a bit of what you love to work with you. I couldn't handle the grey walls, so I put large pieces of purple bristol board all over my walls (like wallpaper). I then attached a bunch of pictures, stickers and things that make me smile. The more 'you' the space is, the more comfortable you'll be, so don't be afraid to decorate a little.






Be yourself! Don't feel like you have to be a drone in order to fit in. I have a few things that I do differently than other people in my office. I don't break rules or change how things are done, I just add a little bit of my personality to things. For example, I have my own sticky notes instead of the regular yellow ones, I use pink staples instead of silver ones, and though I make sure I look professional, I still wear the bright colours and patterns that I love so much.




Work hard and be happy. Office life may not be for you, but you have time and options if you want to change things up. Make the best of what you've got and you'll always have a lot!

Hugs and poops,

Nichole