PIZZASCAPES: DAY ONE

With Suzy

  I have a friend here in AFF who I talk to dearly like a sister since she's really likable. She told me a few weeks ago that she got a job just to fill in her schedule for the summer plus sum up to her experience since she's planning to have a high GPA in her next school year. Since I was older than her by six years and is experienced with jobs (I had a lot of part-time jobs back in high school and just previously had one), she often chats me up to ask for advices.

  She asks me so much questions that she suggested that maybe I should make a blog summarizing my jobs.

  So that's why I'm here.

  Frankly speaking, I am not going to narrate all my jobs but I'll mnarrate to you my most recent one.

  Several weeks ago, I decided to apply to a pizza place famous in our city. I'm not gonna name the store 'cause frankly, I don't like advertising stuff that resulted me pure torture so we'll just call this place "Kyungsoo's P". Yes, I know- horrible name but that's really not the point.

  So I applied in Kyungsoo's P to find inspiration to write. In a pizza place, there's always a possible extraordinary thing that takes place. Honestly, I just applied there to not go home early and skip some responsibilities. I hate going home to be frank, no one's there to greet me anyway. Everyone's busy with their own things and usually comes when I'm already asleep. And I don't like our editor-in-chief. He's this annoying bastard that screams at us for getting a freaking comma misplaced. Like, well damned. I'm sorry, I should have signed up as a copyreader then.

  But back to the point, I applied in Kyungsoo's P. The place isn't really well organized so we are not entitled to one job. We are entitled to jobs that we have skills in. I got included in the service crew, kitchen crew and had attained a position as a cashier. The schedule was simple, I'll tell them when I'm available and the main staff would be the one arranging all the staffs schedule for the next week. I got to work for four days in a week, having three days to myself.

  The big pressure about having a job is the first day, since people there has so much expectations. Let me tell you: it's not easy to impress. Although I'm pretty sure you already know that but-- moving on~

  The first day went like this: my first shift starts on Sunday at eight in the morning and ends at three thirty in the afternoon as a cashier. I already have hands-on experience before from working at a dollar store so I was pretty much okay with the sudden shift (I was expecting to be on the kitchens on my first day). However, the thing in the counter isn't freaking hands on so I literally had no idea what I'm doing.

It's this freaking thing (not the actual thing but you get what I mean)

  Like, do I just punch in the price or do I have to censor to to this laser thingy? Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty much updated with technology and stuff but I'm used to hands-on stuff like this picture below:

It's hard progress but it exercises my fingers ><

 I was so invested on making that damned thing work that I didn't notice the line on my side getting bigger and bigger. Of course, after a few minutes, someone who was more experienced took my place and handled my line. Meanwhile, I got a short trip to the manager's office.

  The manager told me how much I lack in being an employee and that I should learn to abide to the rules. I explained that I was told to be a cashier on the last minute (and not to mention, on my first day) when the manager told me that I clearly stated in my resume and job interview that I have been working as a cashier for lots of times and that I am experienced (which is true). Well, I didn't want the argument to get longer and besides, I just wanted the damned day to be over. In the end, I got a scolding. I guess I should be thankful that he didn't cut my salary.

  So yeah, that's pretty much how my first day went. I ended up in a slump.

  But here's my advice. It's given already that you shouldn't be nervous (though you are) on your first day. But it's also given that you shouldn't be too confident. It doesn't matter if you have loads of experience or connections but really, you should raise your guard up. I guarantee you, first days are extraordinary compared to the rest. It's the day where you're a clueless lamb in preparation to be slaughtered. Just kidding! 

  But really, I say that one should just be calm and stay positive. There's no need to be frightened if you're doing something wrong or you have actually done something wrong in your first day because- c'mon! It's your freaking first day! That's like beating yourself up for failing to answer a teacher's question because you're clueless of the topic. 

  You'll get the hang of it and the rest of the days? I promise, it'll be as easy as snapping your fingers ^_^