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Working Girl:
The pangs of first jobs...
When I started to look for work my mother told me: "Take your time getting your first job, because after that, you will be working for the rest of your life." I took that to heart.
After being the last person among my friends to get a job, I finally got off my lazy butt and got my first part time j-o-b.
I was proud that I entered the work force. I was a couple months shy of my 17th birthday and I was ready to work. I was hired at a local youth center as an After-School Teacher and I had to supervise kids aged five to eight years old.
In theory it was a cool job for me, but in practice, it just wasn't the case. I thought that I was going to lose my mind!! Not only were these kids rambunctious, hyper and out of control, they needed more attention than what I could give. I was only 16!
I decided to quit after four days. My sister convinced me to work with her at White Rose Craft and Nursery. I didn't want to work with my sister (no offense girl, I just needed some space!), but at that point, I couldn't handle those kids jumping all over me and getting paint all over my clothes. I had to leave.
I started White Rose about a couple days after I left the youth center. I was actually shocked that the kids were sad to see me go. I actually contemplated staying - and then I snapped out of it, hugged all of the kids and said good-bye.
At first I loved being a cashier at White Rose. I felt that we all worked as a team and we had fun doing it. I got over the fantasy once I got my first pay cheque. Minimum wage can only go so far.
I worked there from high school until I finished university, mainly because they were very flexible with school and also allowed me to take time off when I had other part time jobs.
When I quit White Rose I knew it was time for me to leave. I totally hated it and I was ready to do something else.
Just yesterday I went to the mall I had this weird feeling that someone was staring at me. I turned around and I noticed this little old lady looking at me. It's funny because she looked familiar to me too. She came up to me and asked me where I lived and if I worked in the area. I told her that I didn't work in the area, but I used to a while back. I told her I used to work at White Rose and she said, "That's it!! I knew I saw you before!" As bizarre as it sounds, she made me laugh. I haven't worked there for years and this lady actually remembered me.
Even when I think about it now, I guess White Rose wasn't that bad. I met some cool people and I have a lot of memories of us chillin' together, talking and NOT working. ¤ Michelle
[ Find out what Christine used to do back in the day. Part I of the article. ]