You know that feeling you get when you’re new? The anxiety and general awkwardness of being in an unfamiliar setting? Well, it turns out we’re hardwired to respond that way in new situations. In fact, that feeling of alert was something that used to protect us.
"During the hunter-gatherer days, encountering a stranger usually occurred when you were moving into another tribe’s territory, and that was stressful and potentially dangerous," says Keith Rollag, associate professor of organizational behavior at Babson College and author of What to Do When You’re New: How to Be Confident, Comfortable, and Successful in New Situations.
