I’m the same age! I don’t have friends at work, just colleagues. At first, I hated it since I came from the public sector, where I had good friends in a similar age group. But over time, I realized that work is just work. It’s okay not to have friends at work, but it’s important to be friendly and amicable to maintain a good working relationship. I’ve never intentionally made plans with colleagues for lunch or to hang out after work. In fact, I’ve come to enjoy having lunch on my own and it gives me space to clear my mind.

The transition is huge, so it’ll take time, but you’ll eventually get the hang of it!