I both love and hate being the newcomer at a new job. There is the initial excitement that comes from seeing your new environment and than it is inevitably followed by nervous doubts as to whether you are qualified for the job. I just recently landed an internship with the US attorney's office for the Western District of Tennessee
(yes that is its full title) and I have been going back and forth between happiness and dread for my new responsibilities.
There are so many things in my new job that I know nothing about (law school has not prepared me for this) and while I know that I will be able to handle it I cannot help but be a little apprehensive about this venture. One of the big things that concerns me is my writing skills. It has been a year and a half since I wrote a brief and I can only hope that my abilities will come back to me. The nervousness that I feel about my job has turned me into a bit of a klutz as of late. For instance this morning when I went to the DA's office to have my badge made, I missed my chance to get out of the revolving door and had to ride it around another time. The guards in the lobby just smiled at me, but I could kind of tell that they were wondering what was wrong with me.
While I am a little nervous about the new internship, I couldn't be happier that I was able to land such a great opportunity. I do have to admit that I hold myself just a little bit higher since I started working at the DA's office. The badge that they made for me gave me a since of authority, even though I am at the bottom of the totem pole. I can't help it! It has been a very long time since I felt like I was actually doing something with education. It will be interesting to see what my first assignment will be. Fingers crossed for something interesting.