So for context, I work in a lab setting where I don't interact with anyone except my co-workers. No patients to interact with or anything. I don't even really see my boss- like she is there, but she is just answering calls for the lab in her office mostly. The point is – the vibe of the lab is that everybody puts their earbuds in and works independently on their own project. Almost all of us are introverted anyway, so this isn't an issue and everything is great…..
Until we hired somebody with puppy dog energy who insists on small talk and being buddy-buddy with coworkers. I kid you not, she cannot just shut up and work. She thinks that because I trained her on how to do her job, we are now friends or something. I'm polite for sure, but it's kinda like…dude, I'm trying to do my job, not do the pointless small talk thing. It's awkward small talk where she inquires about my relationship with my bf, my family, what I am eating for lunch stupid shit…I have been very open that I'm not into small talk, but like she just doesn't get it.
Idk, it might just be an age-gap thing too. I'm 23F and she's 40F.
Like everybody else in the lab has a very similar personality, and she's just the oddball. I guess I just don't understand why because I'm her coworker, I now have to have this pretend friendship with her. Also I'm leaving in 2 weeks for grad school, so like….there really isn't a point in trying to be best friends with me here at work dude.