Everyone remembers their first time…

No silly, their first time coworking.

As freelancers and entrepreneurs, we like doing things differently. And we love being on our own. But it can still be a little unnerving about walking into a coworking on your first day.

What will it be like? What kind of people will be there? Will it be chaos, or will you really be able to get your work done. Can it really be as awesome as everyone says?

To take some of the mystery out of the first time coworking experience, we polled some of our veteran members to see what they remembered about their first day.

As you consider the options available for work space options around Northern Colorado, we hope these personal accounts of community, friendship, and productivity will pique your interest.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, sign up for a day pass, and hang out with us for the day! No charge. Coffee included.

What do you remember about your first day of coworking?

“Not much — other than it felt good to be out of the house. Real good.” – Julie S.

” I was thrilled to be headed to a clean, bright shared space instead of the crowded coffee shops that had been my substitute office for so long.” – Beth B.

“Like arriving on the first day of a new school in a sea of unfamiliar faces and trying to understand where common ground was located. There seemed to be a subtle feeling however in everything that was being said that the culture prided itself on being vastly different from the corporate world.” – Ashok A.

What was your impression of the other people who were there on your first day?

“I was very welcomed and that everyone had the same kind of relaxed sense that I did.  I knew it was a good fit.” -Dani G.

“I was unprepared for people to ask me about what I did and to actually be interested in the answer! I loved that everyone was a motivated entrepreneur or professional in their own industry, but we could all share tips or a laugh without hesitation.” -Beth B.

“They all seemed friendly, open, and out-going.” -David M.

What do you wish you had known before you tried coworking?

“That there were other people who were feeling like me: like working at home *should* be a dream, but that it was quickly becoming an nightmare. That independence can come with more loneliness than I like, and that is actually a “normal” feeling that many other people have. My people, at least.” – Julie S.

“I wish I had known how stress-free it would be.  Minimal expectations are placed on others.” -David M.

“You only really start to enjoy all the benefits when you can integrate well with the community. This tricky part is it may be better to not know this before joining so you can add your unique flavor to the culture rather than ‘attempting to fit in’. There will always be an abundance of value coming your way when you first join because everyone loves the new spice that’s been added to the mix, but you must always be providing value in order to receive.” Ashok A.

Looking back, do you wish you would have joined sooner than you did?

“Yes, I would have 5 less lbs on my ass from coffee shop guilt.” Dani G.

“I definitely wish I had found out about coworking sooner…it would have saved me a bundle in lattes!” Beth B.

YES. But it didn’t exist yet here, so I am glad I took the leap as soon as it did. Really, it’s changed my life. Thank you for making it happen and letting me be a part of it.” Julie S.

“No. I think you learn things by having failed and it was important to suffer in a cubicle to see the true value that a coworking space offered. You can’t appreciate and truly understand the meaning and purpose behind the coworking movement until you’ve experienced the polar opposite of it. It just seems like a private or shared office space if you can’t understand the power of community. In some ways, the visions and passions that circulated at Cohere, compared to the apathy of life at my corporate job, is what made it so painfully clear how valuable a community of passionate individuals could be.” Ashok A.

Do you remember your first day of coworking? Share the experience with us in the comments!

Image via Jessica.Tam/Flickr