This is a big part of the career experience, for a number of reasons. To begin with, it is important for you to invest your time beyond the "9-5" experience. By showing your coworkers that you want to spend time with them, you are opening up the communication doors at a whole new level. You don't have to be a big drinker, all you need to do is be able to smile, talk and listen.
The key is, do you genuinely care about making this relationship work? If the answer is no, it's just a job, and you don't want to spend anymore time with your coworkers than the 40 hours you must, it will show through. If you don't want to get to know them, you are losing out on a valuable experience!
Why would you not want to expand your social horizons and become friendlier with a new group of people? I read once, you can never have too many friends...and the ability to make friends with people whose income is dependent on the same things as yours is a good thing! "We're in this together" is the message you should send to your team. Plus, it can be a great opportunity for you to get to know people you don't interact with every day. Who knows, maybe one day they will actually be able to help you accomplish something.
Plus the coworkers get sick of your excuses as to why you can't join them.
- The man's excuse of "My wife won't let me go" is unfair to wives everywhere. They want a night off to go shopping, drinking with friends or simply to watch reality television by themselves while eating fluffernutter sandwiches in bed alone.
- Women...you're men can fend for themselves. You know, he'd rather have fast food any way, or simply drink beer and watch rodeo on ESPN 2. Let them have their night.
So, lose your lame excuses, invest in your career, and have some fun, make some friends and don't drink and drive!






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