In my very first blog entry, I said that I felt "like Dorothy wandering into the glittering world of Oz," but now that nearly half a year has passed like the whirl of a tornado, I feel like I've finally gotten the hang of how the locals roll (does that make me a Munchkin? Hmm...).

My first month was difficult because I was the only staff writer on board, but as my boss Trixie Reyna recruited more people to the team (staff writer Dawn Niekamp and photographer Jico Joson) the workload slowly became more bearable and the job more enjoyable. Which is definitely a good thing, since I spend much more time at the office than I do at home. I don't think I could do my job well if my setting was too serious or my coworkers unpleasant.

Dawn, Jico, and I went about the usual awkward phase all newbies go through, whether you're entering a new school or a new job. We were cordial and polite and, to be honest, quite disinterested in each other. But in the course of all the crazy events and assignments we've covered together, we eventually banded together as the newbie squad, trying to find our way through this strange and wonderful world we've found ourselves in. How did we reach this point, you ask? Easy. Here are three simple steps that transitioned us from naive newbies into tight teammates:

Step 1: Breathe between the bylines.

Meeting deadlines is the challenge of every single person who works in media. We're constantly shifting from one story to the next, writing like crazy, captioning hundred-item galleries, and chasing celebrities so we can deliver to you all the latest lifestyle articles every single day. So what can a new, inexperienced employee do to cope? Slack off.

I don't mean you should beg off your duties or watch movies on your computer all day long. What I mean is, whenever things start to get too heavy or stressful, you should take time out to re-energize yourself. If we're swamped with urgent articles, all the more reason we should take a few minutes to recharge by sending each other silly viral videos, going out for our daily dose of pearl milk tea, or chasing down random candy mascots for a photograph.

Trust me, it's better than killing yourself with a migraine after hours of non-stop working. Having fun at work can actually make you more productive, because you become more passionate about what you're doing. Just be sure to balance work and play.

Step 2: Let your freak flag fly.

In row 31 at the Summit HQ stands a cubicle decked out in all things geeky. People who catch a glimpse of my workspace often comment on my fandom moodboard featuring photos of my obsessions: Buffy, Doctor Who, Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Conan O'Brien, Almost Famous, and Snoopy. My office neighbors gave me perplexed looks the day I decided to construct a sampayan out of twine from Dawn, but I knew I'd be able to make something out of it.

Over the course of six months, I've strung up papercraft figures of Gir and the TARDIS, garish dangling earrings that were too painful to last the day, and old polaroids stolen from my childhood photo album. It's my space to express myself, to show others what I like without having to shout it out loud (although my coworkers will attest that I do that, too). Most of all, it's the place I draw inspiration from when stress, fatigue, and writer's block strike.

We all have something we geek out over, obsessions that make us unique and interesting. Take the other two Cosmo newbies, for example. On her 20th birthday, I gave Dawn a set of tiny erasers shaped like junk food for her cubicle because she made an offhand remark about liking miniatures and school supplies. Since then, various people from the office have added small things to her collection (which I'm sure she'll share one day in her blog!). Jico, on the other hand, collects robots (he constantly gets mad at us for calling them that instead of their proper name: Gundam). He meticulously checks on them every morning when he gets to work and locks them away at night.

The reason I'm sharing these things is, I never would have learned about their weird interests and habits if we all kept our spaces prim and proper, or kept quiet about the things we enjoy. The way to form a good bond and rapport with the people around you is to show interest in them, learn about their little quirks, and fuel their geekiness with your own. After all, where's the fun in obsessing over something if you have no one to share it with?

Step 3: Go with the flow.

The last thing a newbie must remember in any new environment is that things always change. This job is, by nature, crazy and unpredictable, but people are the ones who shape it into what it is. And people have mood swings, people make mistakes, people are different today than they were yesterday. So don't assume that you've figured everything out, because relationships can shift in a snap.

When dealing with people you have to see everyday, as with officemates and classmates, it's important to adjust yourself accordingly. That's not to say you should sell your soul and be like everyone else; rather, you should figure out the best way to conduct yourself around different kinds of personalities. After all, the person you are at home is not the same as who you are with your friends or with coworkers.

Some people are touchy-feely, some need personal space. Some are laidback and others are high-strung. Some like to blast loud music, while some need absolute silence to work. Be considerate. Don't force your preferences on other people, and don't insist on having your way all the time. Take a cue from your boss, your team, and your officemates on how things should be done. Then, you can craft your own work style that will complement others, and eventually make for a productive, creative, and fun professional relationship.

These are three steps that got me through my first few months of working here. I look forward to figuring out even more office tricks as our wacky team continues to skip down the yellow brick road (or maybe that should be the hot pink road) that is Cosmo.ph.

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