Hi, My Name Is _______.

This past week leading up to my summer intern experience was full of uncertainty and anxiety. I was being thrust into a whole new environment with all new people. I was so nervous not only about what to expect but also about what ‘they’ would think of me. In new and unfamiliar situations, I always have some nerves about first impressions.

It’s interesting when you think about it . . . you don’t really have anything to fall back on. They don’t know and usually don’t care who my parents are, the fact that I was sports standout in HS, or that I have a pretty  solid GPA. Those things aren’t what people see when they first meet you – yes, those are things that I am really proud of and things I feel contribute to who I am, but in the first five minutes of meeting someone, they all disappear.

The ‘presentation of self’ is something we all do whether we do it cognitively or not. We manage our impression by constantly changing ourselves to impress other people so that we fit in and sometimes we work very hard to maintain a certain impression. We do this because we want to be liked and accepted by whomever – boss, classmates, boyfriend or girlfriend, We change our self so that we don’t appear to be different, strange, or weird in anyway – because although our society is one that preaches individualism, first impressions and impression management server as limiting factors. Its not until we reach a certain comfort level and security in the relationship that we begin to express our individualist selves without being embarrassed or feeling like we are being judged.

Just think about it – you’re on a first date with someone you really like. You dress up, try to look good – hair done, make-up on, fly outfit (check). Even though you don’t normally look like that, you want to make a good impression – we all do it. When’s the last time you went on a first date with sweatpants on and your hair looking like you rolled out of bed? Yeahhh, didn’t think so! We do it with the way we look, talk, and act – first impressions can make or break a deal.

Thoughts?