Unexpected friendship
Who he/she is
I'm going to talk about a colleague of mine named Alex. We work in the same department at a marketing firm, and over time, we've become quite good friends, although it didn't start out that way.
How you knew him/her
I first met Alex when he joined our team about a year ago. Initially, I only knew him through work-related interactions and meetings. He was introduced to us during a team meeting, and I remember thinking he seemed quite confident, perhaps a bit too much for my liking at the time.
Why you disliked him/her at first but changed your mind
At first, I found Alex to be somewhat arrogant. He often spoke over others during meetings and seemed to dismiss ideas that weren't his own. This rubbed me the wrong way, and I wasn't keen on getting to know him better. However, as we started working on a project together, I got to see a different side of him. He was actually very supportive and open to collaboration. I realized that his initial behavior was more about trying to prove himself in a new environment rather than arrogance. Over time, we started having lunch together and discovered we had a lot in common, like a shared love for hiking and photography.
How you feel about the experience
Looking back, I'm really glad I gave Alex a chance. This experience taught me not to judge people too quickly and to be open to seeing beyond first impressions. Our friendship has grown, and I now appreciate his enthusiasm and the fresh perspective he brings to our team. It's a reminder that sometimes, people just need a bit of time to show their true selves, and I'm grateful for the friendship we've developed.