I'm a fresher struggling to adjust to officedom

Dear Diana,
I'm a 21 year-old who recently got a job. My colleagues are veterans in the field. Amid them, I mostly find myself out of place though I try hard to mix in with the crowd to learn the ropes. Sometimes it's depressing. The reason being groupism that is visibly prevalent on the office floor. It's a daily affair. And I don't like to take sides. Maybe this is so as every little thing is pretty new to me. But backbiting and cribbing is something I can't be a party to. We used to come across about dog-eat-dog world and cutthroat in college and now I'm experiencing this first hand. Please dispense some survival tips for rookies like me.
u00a0- Sidrah

Illustration/ Satish Acharya

Dear Sidrah,
I can understand how you feel but this is part of what you have to go through at a new workplace. It's best for you to concentrate on your job and do it to the best of your capabilities. Groupism and favouritism is something that is part and parcel of almost every office. You will have to live with it however tough and frustrating it is to contend with. Whenever a fresher joins, he or she feelsu00a0 the same unless the boss is known to him or her. Get along with your work and maintain a cheerful disposition. Remember even the veterans were rookies once upon a time. Suggest ideas, be helpful and show that you are interested in what you are doing. It will take time, a lot of time for them to take you seriously but they will and the only way to show them is through sincere hard work and no cause for complaints.