When I have an appointment or something happening at a specific time, I do my best to get there a few minutes early. For me, it’s a sign of respect to get there early and be able to say hello or get in and sit quietly waiting and watching as people gather for whatever it is. It’s also a time to keep things relaxed instead of being stressed and wound up tight as I rush to try to get there at the last minute.
I used to get there right at the last minute a lot. I prided myself on being able to time things so that I could overcome whatever obstacles jumped up unexpectedly and still get there just as something started. I was embarrassed a lot because I got there a couple of minutes late. I was very tense and the pressure that I put on myself was eventually too much.
As my kids went through high school they were in band. I think all of their band directors had a saying that being five minutes early is on time, and being on time is late.
This was especially true for high school kids, teenagers, because they would get there on time and then have to get their instruments out and have to talk and joke around and figure out where they needed to be and all that stuff.
So if everybody showed up at the appointed time, then 10 minutes later, practice still has not started. I know that some people will go ahead and schedule things with a buffer time, trying to allow for the people that show up late.
I stopped doing that because if you don’t have enough respect for me to be on time, then I really don’t want to wait for you.
Do your best to get there five minutes early so that you can show respect for the organizer and actually be comfortable as you ease your way into the event, whatever it might be.
Go for it!
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