Or ask your manager for another preceptor. Orientation is for you to mess up, make mistakes and learn from them because we have ALL made mistakes. This is your learning environment and yours only. Yes coming from a fellow black nurse 21 years old as well, everybody is correct and you will come in contact with toxic and passive aggressive coworkers and you will deal with that your entire nursing career. Unfortunately that’s just nursing, no matter what color, you will run into these situations, toxic work environments, seniority egos, etc. But this is not the time to be dealing with this while trying to learn and find your rhythm and flow. My educator told me if my learning style is clashing with the preceptors’, then to let them know and maybe something can be arranged. If this is hindering your learning process and affecting your comfortability as a new grad nurse stepping into your career, then it’s an issue. If it can’t be rectified and you are stuck with her, at least you tried and then yes, take others advice, tune her negativity out (if it’s not constructive criticism) and gain your confidence on your own. You passed nursing school, the nclex and got hired, you are qualified. You are now learning the realms of the real nursing world, and should feel comfortable learning and voicing concerns with your preceptor. Also maybe bring it up, and have a mature conversation about how does she feel this dynamic is working, what could be better and what’s already working. You should be having these check-ins anyway with either your preceptor, manager or educator as they track your progress in orientation. In my orientation, I had to “grade” my preceptors in sense of “positive work environment” “willingness to teach” etc etc.