First-Year Fog: The Lessons No One Teaches You

## Story: The Tickets That Taught Me to Stop Assuming Support

In my first school library job, I was coordinating a reading incentive program that rewarded students with amusement park tickets. It was my first time handling something that big. Each teacher collected participation logs, turned them in to me, and then I submitted the final tally to the program director.

One teacher—let’s call her Teacher A—took more tickets than she was supposed to. Because of that, I came up short when it was time to give tickets to Teacher B’s class. That left some students without their reward, and Teacher B had to be the one to explain it to them.

She wasn’t harsh, but she was disappointed. I felt terrible—and I blamed myself for not being more meticulous. Later I learned how to build checklists, create folders for every program, and track everything more carefully. But back then, I was learning by fire.

What stung more than the mistake itself was the realization:
There were friendly people around me—Teacher B included—who smiled, chatted, occasionally gave advice. And I had *assumed* that meant, if I was doing something wrong or missing something, someone would tell me.

But no one did.

And the truth is—she saw me as a **peer**. Not a younger professional to guide. Not someone to pull aside.
She wasn’t unkind. She just didn’t see that as her role. And I had made the mistake of assuming that age or experience meant investment.

>

**Friendly ≠ Mentor**
> Some people will help *if* you ask. But they’re not watching out for you. They’re not planning ahead for your growth.
> Don’t confuse warmth with responsibility. *You* may be new—but to them, you’re just another adult on the job.