Changing jobs means learning a new office culture. I've learned a lot in just the last week, most notably about the dress code. No, I didn't dress inappropriately, but I did wear the wrong color.
East Carolina people are very passionate about their pirates. Both staff and students show their ECU pride by wearing purple on Friday. This was the case last Friday before the very first football game. Everyone in the office was wearing purple. Everyone except me.
I love that everyone is so excited about football. So today I don't want to be left out. Last night I made sure to lay out my clothes, so I wouldn't forget and feel left out again. My best friend Lauren also texted me to remind me about purple Friday. As an ECU alum she has a lot of pirate pride. She also made sure to let me know not to wear red (NC State's color) under any circumstance. ECU plays NC State tomorrow and it is a fantastic rivalry. In case you were wondering, yes, they are sold out, no, I don't have tickets, and no, I don't have any connections to get them. Sorry Pirate Nation!
I feel like purple Friday's is very reminiscent of the movie "Mean Girls". So to be sure that I am allowed to sit with my new friends at lunch I want to make sure that I'm wearing the right color. My alma mater, Rider University had also adopted the coloring wearing day to increase school pride with the campaign, "On Wednesday's We Wear Cranberry."
I feel very welcome at East Carolina and can't wait to learn more about the office culture and what it means to be a pirate. I know that basketball season won't be nearly as exciting as it was when I was in Chapel Hill. After all, nothing is prettier than the Tar Heels' "Carolina Blue." But, I am going to ride the pirate football wave and wear my purple with pride. I am also going to be sure that if I have the chance to act like a pirate to take full advantage of the opportunity. Arrrgh!!!!
Or as our someone in athletics recently told me, "Always be a pirate, unless you are a pirate, then always be yourself."