The Fire Alarms Interrupted my Open

So today was the dreaded open-over-dinner but it really wasn't as bad. DEFINITELY not as bad as last night so I was pleased. I went in a little early because I like to take my time opening. I like to move slow and do my thing.

I was just about finished when he fire alarms all went off. This has never happened. There was only about 6 of us including the kitchen staff so we all grabbed our stuff and sat outside. The rest of the plaza had done the same.

Is it absolutely terrible that I was hoping that I finally got my wish and that the place was burning down? LOL.

So terrible. I know.

We waited for about 15 minutes and all made jokes about having the day off but sure enough we had to go back in and get on with the day.

Everything was fine and at a comfortable pace. I made 100 bucks in 7 hours which is crazy because yesterday, I made 100 in 3 and a half hours. I'm happy either way. I have 2 days left of my 6 day stretch and I'm not feeling too bad.'

I had a few great tables too. They were easy to serve, super pleasant and seemed to enjoy having me take care of them for the night. It left me feeling good about myself.

There has also been gossip flying around the restaurant. I feel like that happens everywhere though. It's a little juicy and a guilty pleasure of mine to hear what's been going on. Unfortunately, I'm friends with both groups that are having the issues so I'm team Switzerland. I'm trying to stay out of it but sometimes my mouth starts moving before my brain tells it to shut up lol.

I hope your Saturday tips rock tonight!

- A

"The Owner asked to be Seated in Your Section"

It was at that moment that I wanted to evaporate.

So we were expecting it to be dead tonight because it's a long weekend. We only had 5 servers on when we usually have 8 or 9. We got slammed after the manager went down to THREE servers. I had 7 tables at once which is insane for my place and the kitchen was so backed up. It was just the crap I only have nightmares about coming true right before my eyes.

As if shit couldn't get any worse, the owner came in with his family and sat in my section. I have never served him before and I was so nervous I was literally shaking. I didn't really know how to approach it. Would I just go and they would order without a second thought?

Well he made it clear when he told me to go through all of the steps of service.

I froze like a deer in headlights and couldn't even utter a word. If I wasn't so busy with other tables, I would have managed it better. But I had 6 tables to look after not including them. I just straight up told him that I don't do well under pressure and I was incredibly nervous. He eventually accepted that I was a lost cause and just went through the motions. My co-workers now know my pre-anxiety attack face and helped me so much when they could. Even just telling me that I got this and not to stress. Even my manager was like "just do your best, who cares! You are only here for the summer so don't even worry". It really helped to know that people had my back.

And I rang in gluten free penne for the owners dish instead of regular penne. We serve all of our GF food on bright green plates so it's not like I could have hid it. After I rang it in I went to the kitchen and told them that I made the mistake and they gave me shit because I waited like 10 minutes to tell them. Luckily I was looking over what I rang in or else I wouldn't have even caught it at all.

I just got in for the night and I have to open tomorrow morning so I need to be at the restaurant in less than 12 hours. That is so depressing considering how crazy tonight was. I made $100 and really need the money but hopefully it isn't as crazy tomorrow.

xoxoxox

- gossip girl

- A

6 Day Stretch

Hey guys,

I'm in the middle of a 6 day work streak and can't help but start feeling cranky. Tonight is an easier shift. Im not a split or a pre or pre close but tomorrow I open the restaurant and work all the way through the dinner rush. I hate that shift so much and I have to do another one on Monday so I just don't feel too hopeful.

Luckily I will be quitting for August 18th so its coming up. I just need to hang in there and get through these next couple of weeks. I think I might continue blogging throughout the school year. I plan on working at the restaurant I worked at during the last school year so I'm thinking about it.

I'm going to a friends cottage on the 19th for the whole weekend with my boyfriend and a bunch of our friends so I am literally counting down the days since I feel like I haven't gotten a break all summer.

Thanks for the read,

xox

- A

Tuesday Night Blues

Hello peeps,

I had made it through my first 5 day in a row work week with a breeze. The only thing that sucked is that our air conditioning in the restaurant isn't working and we are in the middle of a crazy heat wave.  I was dripping sweat, it was so gross and uncomfortable. I got a weird heat rash on my thighs and I'm sure that our jean pants uniform isn't helping the cause.

So I have been at the restaurant for just about 3 months now and I am considered one of the older staff members because people are quitting all of the time. Since I have started, I can name 11 people that have left the restaurant. It really makes you wonder how shitty this place is. I would never consider working here long-term. I could hardly handle 4 months of summer.

I don't have any funny, cute or horrible customer stories for you. I found my customers to actually be mostly pleasant to serve. I have also started finding my place with my co-workers. I always feel out of place or awkward but now I am able to engage with everyone and sit at the bar with them after my shift ends.

Making a couple of friends has made working there a lot better too :).

So I have been enjoying my two days off before starting another 5 day streak of work. It feels like a depressing Sunday night when Monday looms around the corner. My uniform is in the washing machine and I have to wash the beach out of my hair.

Thanks for reading (if you are),

- A

Just a Little Update

Hey friends,

I am just writing this blog to let you know how I have been doing since my last post. I am happy to report that I have been feeling a lot better. My two hard courses have ended (and I have started a newer, easier one) and work has been a bit better. My favourite manager who seems to be one of the best when it comes to handling the rush and helping servers got back from vacation and I feel so much better when she is managing the shift. As a result, work has been a bit less stressful.

Of course my anxiety can't evaporate over night but it has reduced to a level that I can tolerate and manage to continue living my normal daily life.

Thanks for all of your kind words and support, it really means a lot to have someone take the time out  of their day to not only read my blogs but give me encouragement when I feel like I can't stand on my two feet.

I work a lot this weekend so I am sure I will have a good story for you guys by the end of it.

Later days,

- A

Breakdown

Hey readers, if there even are any,

I am writing this post in an attempt to help calm my nerves and mind. I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember and it likes to come and go periodically. These last couple weeks of work have been the worst. On Friday night it got so bad that I had an anxiety attack in the middle of my shift and had to go stand by the dumpsters as I hyperventilated and cried hysterically. It was embarrassing to have my co-workers see me like that.
My shifts on Saturday and Sunday caused so much stress and anxiety that I just sat in the parking lot after my shift ended because I couldn't even drive I was so worked up.
I know you probably think "then just quit your job if its that bad". I can't. I am only at this place for 2 more months and then I go away to school. I won't be able to find a job and make money (which I REALLY need) for the last 2 months of summer so I am stuck there. On top of it all school has been really stressful as well. I have been getting through it but this week has just been my breaking point. On top of that, I have been having a bit of home issues as well.

Everything combined has just made me feel incredibly defeated and I just want to give up and say f*ck everything. I want to just lay in my bed for hours and not do anything.

But I can't.

I'm sorry that this post is so depressing and is just me with my scattered thoughts rambling but it just feels better writing down my thoughts. It makes it feel real and may even help me to release some of the stress.

If you're reading this and have struggled or are struggling with mental health issues I just want to say, I get it. It f*cking sucks being your own worst enemy or thinking about something over and over and over and over causing you to stress out until you can't even bear the thought of facing it. You're not alone. I'm not alone.

But getting through the rough patch is like when you start getting out of the weeds at work. You feel like you climbed a mountain and even though it was the hardest thing ever, you forget the struggle as soon as you see the amazing view.

I will get to the top of this mountain soon, and you will too.

xoxox

- A

Christmas in July

I had heard of the holiday tip but I thought it was only an urban legend.

If you don't know what I am talking about, the holiday tip is (usually around the holidays) when a very generous guest gives you an amazing tip. I'm talking over 50%. I was having a terrible day. I spent the day finishing my 28 page paper that was due tonight at 11 and then pre-closed at 5:45. I was having really bad anxiety throughout the day and out of nowhere a couple with two little boys left me a 40 dollar tip on a 60 dollar bill. I looked at her and asked if she meant to type in 4 dollars on the machine and she smiled and said "No. that's all for you. You were wonderful".

I actually cried at their table. I just wasn't expecting it.

I hope the holiday tipper finds you on a shitty day too, fellow servers,

- A

I Gave Table 11 a Shower

Well it finally happened.

I was dropping four waters off at my table and didn't think about how I was taking them off of my tray (rookie mistake) and my tray flipped and the water dumped all over me, my table and my customers.

This was the first time I have ever done that and I was already close to being in the weeds and I just wanted to melt into a puddle. They were super nice about it. They were foreign and spoke so softly and proper with their accents even after the spill. Of course they still had their menus so everything was soaked.

The father was really nice about it, but the mother looked at me like I was a cockroach and it made me feel almost ashamed. I know it isn't good but I pretty much avoided them as much as I could for the rest of the time I have been there.

I have been so stressed with school this week that I go into work extra-stressed and I feel like bad things just keep happening to me, like I can't catch a break.

The other night, my one table had a huge chunk of spaghetti stuck together and it took forever for the kitchen to fix it, then someone stole one of my dishes for another table so it took double the time to make the thing that someone else took. I was so angry I took the time to hunt them down and give them shit for not reading the ticket. I had four seniors with a grandchild and they were trying to nickel and dime everything and had a bunch of MOD's on their senior meals.

I just need a break. I am officially halfway through my summer break which means I am halfway through working there.

My your trays be balanced and your modified dishes be made right the first time,

- A

One Generous Tip Turned my Night Around

If you have been reading my blogs (or just my last one at least), you know that I am incredibly stressed with work and school right now. I worked a split today and my friend had said she wanted to work tonight to make money. I offered my night shift and told her how swamped I am with homework but she ended up saying she didn't want to take it because she thought it would be dead (AKA she would make no money). I was irritated but let it go. Today is also Canada day (as I am in Canada) and we all sordove expected it to be dead because people usually go away for the long weekend. It was pretty busy! I got a 10 top and three additional tables (which felt like death).

My party was so incredibly demanding and slightly rude when I was not able to bring them their bottomless salads and bread ASAP. I wish some customers would understand that they are not the servers only table. I was trying my best to get everything out because my other smaller tables were trying to pay and get out of there.

Throughout their dinner, the party started to ease up a little and they began being more polite and patient. I think they started understanding that I wasn't being lazy. I was actually very busy and doing the best I could. Their bill came to about $150 and it was on one bill. I had completed his transaction and had seen that he tipped me 25 dollars. Not the best but not the worst. I felt a bit defeated, hoping I would have gotten more.

I had left the table a mess for a few minutes while I tended to some new tables when the host came up to me and handed me a twenty dollar bill. I asked her where it was from and she told me it was from the party. They tipped me 30% (don't fail me now, mental math). I wanted to cry.

I have been so unbelievably stressed these last few days with work and school piling up. I have taken it out on my boyfriend and family and I've just felt so defeated. I am a poor student trying to pay for school and I was so grateful that they gave me such a huge tip.

I don't really know if there is a moral to the story...

- just keep pushing through
- do your best and don't beat yourself up
- love and be kind to yourself
- refill salads 10 times even when you want to scream

I guess all of those work.

I'd say enjoy your long weekend but I am sure you are working every day just like me ;)

- A