Been in a job for 6 weeks and don't know anybody still

[Cheesestring11]

And I'm not blaming anybody but myself, it's because I'm shy and quiet. It's in a nursery but I'm through agency.
I had a look at the Facebook page of a girl who started just over a week ago, she posted up a picture and about 30 people from the nursery liked it. I haven't got a single person from there on social media, how can she have most of them after just one week?

I'm early 30s, a lot of the staff are actually around 19 years old so the age gap may play a part, but really there are staff of all ages.

I make a little polite conversation but I'm very certain they all see me as quiet and shy. I feel like it's too late now and it would look awkward and weird if I suddenly changed persona.

I've seen nobody socially out of work, nobody's number etc.
Nobody has been rude to me, not to my face at least.
I wish I weren't shy, just feel like an outsider

I'm not shy with the children, I think I am good at the job and engage well with them but I just don't fit in with the staff

Do you want to be friends with them on social media? Why not add them? I’m sure they would accept seeing as they all have each other on there. Then you can interact by liking posts etc and feel a bit more ‘involved’ and this might spill over into your face to face interactions with them too.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being shy and quiet. I bet you are lovely with the kids and that everyone respects you as a good worker. Younger people in terms and twenties add Everyone they meet to their social media account. That's why they have 8,000 friends. It's there norm. We, in our twenties have much less, but more realistic "friends" on Facebook. All you need to do is when you are working alongside a colleague, share something funny that one of the kids did, ask them if they watching anything good on Netflix and tell them you finished whatever latest thing you've watched and ask for some good Netflix recommendations. That's always a great way to get convo flowing. But don't wait untill the tea room as you are putting pressure on yourself. Just small chit chat while working. Also, bring in chocolate or donuts or whatever and just say they were left over from your mams/ sisters birthday party and that is always a sure way to get people chatting. Good luck and don't worry as we get older, people much prefer quieter people to the non stop, centre of attention loud mouth. Don't change, just learn to love yourself and your lovely kind, hardworking, laid back personality x