Goodbye: My last day at my full-time job during quarantine

If you are reading this in real time, you know life is weird all around right now.   People are wearing masks out and about, people are awkwardly trying to avoid each other when they cross paths and a lot of places still are not open.   So throw a normally weird situation like leaving a job in the mix and it is even stranger.  

My last day of my full-time job was Friday May 15^th.   I worked at home like usual until around 2:30pm and then left to meet my manager to turn in my badge and desk keys.   A few people sent me an instant message saying goodbye and people wished me luck on our last team call together.   But many people did not even know I was leaving because unless I went out of my way to tell them, they did not hear like you normally do in the gossip around an office environment.  Also, I had only been at this job just shy of 8 months.   I am thankful for that because when I left my job last year, I had been there 7 years and there were quite a few hugs.  

This time, instead of hugs, I pull into the parking lot and tie a mask around my face before heading toward the building.   The parking lot has very few cars in it because recently they changed our policy from being able to come in to work if we wanted to, to only being allowed in the office an hour at a time with permission.    I try to enter my normal associate door and they are doing construction on it so I have to walk to the main lobby.  It was a nice 75 degree day and normally I would have loved the walk.   Unfortunately, masks make it feel like it is about 20 degrees warmer and I can feel the little bit of eye makeup I threw on starting to smear.

I get to the lobby and it is completely empty.  Fortunately my badge still works so I go in and head toward the elevator.   I am about half a building away from my desk when I get off on the 5^th floor and I have to pass quite a few cubicles.   No one is around and there has always been poor lighting and temperature changes throughout the office, but they seem creepy in the silence of the giant office.   I finally get to my desk and my calendar still shows March.  I feel like I am in the Walking Dead and should keep an eye out for zombies as I look for any personal items I may have left.   I have a few items to shred with notes about the job on them and the standard office birthday card everyone signs.  I already took my pictures of Hannah home because 1 – they were outdated and 2 – Leaving the office last time felt like it might be the last time ever (because I was looking for a job at the time, nothing dramatic with the Corona).   My manager walks in the row shortly after, I give him the keys and badge and we head out within 5 minutes.   No potluck or walking around to say goodbye.  Just me in my Ohio State hat and flowery mask trying not to rip the mask off my face so I can get some fresh air.

When we get near our cars, we small talk for a few minutes from 6 feet apart and then go our separate ways.   I am thankful he parked where trees block my car from his view as I take a cheesy selfie (see above) in my car.   There is a huge relief, but then I remember I still have to mail my equipment back.   Yes, even though I went in the office, I have to mail my equipment back to said office for them to disinfect it LOL.  It was annoying but I am thankful they paid for shipping.

I lugged the boxes today to Walgreens because they will take Fed Ex packages and then it felt completely real.   I am starting a new chapter tomorrow where I will get to work part-time and have more time with Hannah.   I work full-time this week to get a lot of training in and then I start part-time next week.   The last time I worked part-time, I was in college and taking a full course load on top of it.   It is going to be a transition, but I am super excited for it.   I am not sure what all of that will look like at such a different time, but I am excited to get out of the house for a bit.   It has been a long couple months.   And the training geek in me is excited to see how they model their training schedule and materials.  I also realized today that this will be my first time using public restrooms in about 2 months LOL.  The most random things that were second nature before now seem totally different.    So wish me luck as I embark on a journey that I do not know anyone else taking right now.  First days are always exciting and different, but I will let you all know how this one goes during a once in a lifetime pandemic situation.