Going back into an old workplace is weird

[Makinitrain]

Just that really.
Does anyone get a really odd feeling about going back into an old place of work?
I worked at a shop for five years in my twenties (not that long ago) and it was the best time of my life. If I go back to visit and shop, I always regret it.
All the people I used to work with are still there, they act friendly and happy to see me, but I'm not 'one of them' anymore.
There's also another place I worked where I was quite unhappy, if I ever go back there then the smell of the place makes me feel all those depressed and sad feelings again.
Anyone else?

An office I worked in got turned into a huge charity shop. That was weird

I worked in a huge office block for 10 years until i got made redundant. I go past it nearly all the time as it is on the way to town. I feel sad when i see it as i had some good times and made some good friends. I used to know most people who worked there, but i dont recognise anybody who i see going in or out. Left about 6 years ago and have never set foot in it since, never had reason to.

@LemmysAceCard do you keep in touch with anyone who worked with there?

A company I used to work for was shut down. Ten years later I went for an interview with another company but in the same building as the old company. That was weird! I remember asking where the toilets were and thinking 'why am I asking, I know this!'

A grotty old office block I used to work in got turned into flats. I had a peek on rightmove and it was really weird seeing the same windows I'd stared out of. The lobby looked pretty much the same etc. Gave me a weird feeling looking at the photos and imagining people living there now.

A friend of mine stopped working two years agonfor a combination of family reasons and her health issues. She is still totally invested in her former workplace and how well/badly her replacement is doing. I suspect that she js regretting her decision to leave.

@starfishmummy ah yes I know one of those too! FB messages every couple of months 'how is so and so getting on?'

Yeah, actually (apart from McDonalds)

I get really sad when I walk past a place of work I got 'left off' from.
I really saw a future there, made friends, and it was ripped from me suddenly and unexpectedly and I didn't keep in touch with anyone.

@paerol that's really sad. Can I ask how come?

@Makinitrain how come I got fired or how come I didn't keep in touch?

How come you got fired? I did once, unexpectedly too, but luckily I was unhappy and scared to leave as the pay was really good!

I just feel relieved tbh. I’ve always left on good terms but also for good reasons. I do need to go to my old place of work from time to time and every time I go there I feel so glad I left

@Makinitrain ahhh. There was two occasions in a month where I was 10 minutes late.

There was lots going on too. Police involvement with an ex who'd trashed my home and my DS was in and out of hospital with respiratory infections and I was trying to juggle everything (yet still had only one absence and it didn't affect my work).

I'm very glad I don't work there now with how insensitive and not understanding they were, but at the time I was absolutely gutted and humiliated.

I left my last job (retail) in January after being bullied and I have no intention of going back. I really liked it there for about three years but the last 6-8 months were horrible. It's a shame because I like some of the people there but I didn't leave on good terms with others so I think going back would be awkward for everyone.

I hate going back to anywhere I’ve worked too.

Even after a 9 month maternity leave I felt like an outsider again for a long time

I think it’s probably my personality type

I was treated pretty poorly for the last half of my time in one job (was there 8 years in total). I left when I found a job closer to home that was a step up and more money. It took me 3 years to get the courage together to go back into my old place as a customer. I'd rather travel further to a store in another town. Even now, 5 years on, I've only stepped foot in there twice.

@Makinitrain yes i do keep in touch with a few people from there, my DP works there (our relationship pre dates either of us working there) i essentially got him the job there. So although i dont keep in touch with many people i still know all the gossip about who is leaving, who did what, who said what. To be fair about 95% of the people he is talking about i have no idea who they are!

I went back to an old workplace recently - I still work at the place I left them for, 6 years later, and they were a bit funny about me leaving (probably cos they paid me peanuts to do a huge amount of very sensitive work and didn't fill my role for ages). I was back there on something very vageuly related to my current job, and it was really odd - they were still a bit like "hmmm!" when I arrived. It also felt weird seeing someone sitting in my old seat doing my job, even though I would never go back!

There's a secret stairway I always use to hide in in the building when I was skiving, and is definitely not open to the public, but I was so desperate to go for a little wander round the building as it's a weird old place and I liked working there just for that.

@yelyah22 that's funny, I always want to go down into the basement when I go into the Caffè Nero I used to work in. It's got a big movie style bank safe in the basement from when it was a NatWest.

Yes I feel similarly about going into places I've worked, and it makes me not want to go in them. I've not left on bad terms, but I always get a little bit of a sense of dread when going in even when I've enjoyed the job.

Used to work in a complex of government offices a long time ago. I live quite near it and it’s on the way to my gym. I always feel nostalgic driving past as I was very happy there and also got married not long after moving there - so lots of happy memories of newlywed life too.

One of our flats is an old military hospital. My mum was a nursing officer in the armed forces, she said “oh your flat used to be the radiology department.” She finds it weird being back there. What used to be her mess is now an office.

I’m about to leave my current role for another position in a different school and I already feed so upset and emotional at the thought of it!

Every now and then I have to drive past a hospital where I used to work. It was such a stressful job that even several years on my heart rate picks up and I start to feel a bit sick even though I know I don’t have to go in. Silly really!

I used to work in a shop and had a truly horrible time for a lot of it. Especially near the end. Was asked to leave about six years ago and still hate going near the place. Think I've been back in once.