Life on the other side

It's been a hot minute. A lot has happened in that hot minute let me tell you.

I know I hardly had readers when I was trying to blog actively so maybe this random blog won't get a view. If that's the case, I'm writing this blog more for me than for you.

I've hung up my pen and notepad for good and let me tell you how much my mental health has been soaring because of it.

Serving is a GREAT way to make money. Truly, that's why it took me so long to walk away from it. You work a couple shifts a week during school, make a bunch of cash and go on with your studies. For me, serving gave me the most anxiety I have ever felt and at points, I wished that my car would go (gently) into a ditch on the way in and I would miss my shift. Damn my good snow tires for never making that a reality (haha).

This summer, I took on a job that was in the field I am going to school for and it just felt so much better for me. There are some people who make a wonderful career out of serving. They like it, they're good at it and it pays their bills. I hated it and I sucked at it. I was constantly feeling inadequate because I couldn't do it and other staff members were constantly annoyed with my smaller sections and I was just so anxious all the time.

I just stopped one day and said 'I need to walk away'. And I did just that. I am finishing up my second chunk of education and I am about to transition into the working world. More importantly, into the field I want to be in.

I am happy to say that I woke up one day and made the decision that the tips weren't worth it for me anymore.

Thanks for the read. I hope you are all doing well and if you're a server, I hope that holiday tipper gets seated in your section soon.

xoxo

- A

PS. It's been over a year since I served a table and I STILL get server nightmares from time to time!

Being an adult sucks

So as you know I've left the job I was working at and thought I just deserved the time off for the rest of the summer (just over a month) as a way to celebrate my undergrad and starting a new program. It was all good at first until a buttload of expenses started coming in.

My car broke down..

I had to pitch in for a bachelorette weekend getaway..

and the gift for the bride..

I just bought the bridesmaid dress for the wedding ..

I just activated the utilities and internet/cable for our new apartment we will be moving into for school and apparently when you activate all that crap.. you gotta pay! I'm new to the adult way of life so this came as a bit of a surprise.

I had enough money to get me through the summer without any big expenses popping up but stupid me for thinking nothing would pop up.

Only 20 days until I move (and receive my student loan) so I just need to make it to that.



I hope you're all doing well and getting big fat tips. I almost miss the restaurant world but still don't think I want to go back.

I'll let ya know if that changes!

xoxo

- A

I'm not sorry for being new

Hey readers,

I hardly enjoyed the week off. I spent it procrastinating and stressing about the assignments I have due this week and am now left with that mess to clean up. But that's not what this blog is about. I worked another shift at the diner today, which may be my 4th shift there (I could be wrong). I am still a baby at this place and the menu is huge.

I had a table of 6 come in that looked my age. I was on top of serving them, but when it came to taking their orders, I had to ask other workers the questions that my customers had. I told them that I am still very new (and when I do that, customers are usually super kind and patient) but these people were rude and actually made me feel a bit stupid.

One of the girls who paid for 2 bills didn't even tip me and when it happened, I felt pretty shitty about myself. Obviously they didn't like their service.


And then it hit me.

F*ck you.

Seriously. I'm just a student whose busting her ass in school full time, working and volunteering. I put my all into my job but I am also very new and I know I do my best. So f*ck you if you don't see that while I might not have been the best, I was truly trying my best.

You can keep your 10% tip.


I just don't give myself enough credit sometimes.

xoxo

- A

Who needs self-respect anyways?!

Ugh I've reached an all new low today, my friends.



So I spent the afternoon handing out resumes (I moved back out for school on Saturday) and it was so depressingly unsuccessful I did something stupid. It's like when you get super drunk and call your ex and beg them to get back together with you even though they broke up with you. It's just sad. Well I emailed the restaurant I worked at last school year and pretty much did the same.

When I had reached out to them at the beginning of August, they hadn't responded to my email, which I knew was a bad sign. I still called them a week later and pretty much told them I was interested in coming back blah blah. He had told me that they did more summer hiring than they anticipated so they might not be taking people back. He then said he'd let me know by the end of the week.

I sordove knew that was bullshit. I won't lie. I was a pretty shitty server when I was there. In my defence, I had little experience before that job and I only got one 3 hour shift a week. I had a really hard time developing any skills because I just wasn't doing it frequently enough. I even had a huge mental breakdown and had my mother quit for me on the spot. Which she did. And then the owner called and talked it out with my mother and they said that if I still wanted my job that I could take it. So I did and I finished up until summer.

So I totally understand why they wouldn't want me back. I'm not stupid. What I have described for you demonstrates how terrible I was there. BUT I HAVE CHANGED!

Working at my summer job made me a boss server!

So anyways, the end of the week came and I didn't hear from him. At this point I was a little irritated that he wasn't just being honest so I emailed him and just told him to let me know his decision and within the hour he emailed me back and rejected me.


I emailed him again today like a pathetic loser when I was feeling hopeless about finding another job. I acknowledged that my attempt seemed desperate but really told him how much I appreciated the job and that if he gave me a chance (if there was a position available), that I would work so hard to show him my improvement.


I feel like such a pathetic, clingy loser and I just needed to let it out. So thank you for reading, and feel free to judge me hahaha.

I'll let you know how it goes,


xoxo

- A

The Holiday Tipper Strikes Again!

Tonight was mayhem as we were disgustingly short-staffed but that didn't stop me from getting the holiday tip once again!

Three women were sat in my section during the crazy dinner rush. They didn't strike me as anything as they seemed somewhat unkept. I honestly did not expect much from them. They were't waiting long but my manager greeted them anyways. I could tell he knew them (so they were regulars). I had taken their drink orders and before I had brought them back he had gotten their all you can eat salads. I knew he wasn't doing this because he thought I wasn't getting there in time. He was just being friendly with them because he knew them.

After I thanked him for taking care of them while I was getting caught up on other tables trying to pay he said "make sure to take awesome care of them because they will give you a fantastic tip". So I did. They were very sweet and patient anyways so it wasn't like it was difficult.

I genuinely enjoy waiting on people who are friendly and easy going. So if you go to a restaurant and you're service is bad... maybe you're an asshole.

Or maybe you just have a bad server.

Getting off track here...

So it comes time for them to settle up and their bill was 40 dollars. When I looked at the debit receipt it read:

Tip: $60.

Almost shit my pants. But then they told me that half was for the manager because he was wonderful. But still, 30 dollars on a 40 dollar bill is an AMAZING tip. I was so grateful.

So my message is this: never judge a book by its cover. Seriously. The nicest people come in all forms. And nasty people do too. Remember that.

Tomorrow is my last day at the restaurant and I must say that I am a little sad to be saying good bye to the staff. I have really grown to love a few of them.

xoxo

- A

Will The Madness Ever End?!

I have three papers due next week and I work every day for the rest of the week.

Paper one: 3 pages (not bad)
Paper two: 1500 - 2000 words (doable)
Paper three: 6500 words (WHAT?)

I am trying to tackle the third paper right now and as I am working through it, I can't stop thinking about how I will hardly be able to work on them after tomorrow because I work 2 split shifts this weekend  and a pre-close (hello tips, goodbye GPA). I haven't even begun to look at the first two papers.


Why is being a student so difficult? It's summer school so these courses are moving super quick so trying to be on top of it plus work at least four shifts a week has been getting really over-whelming. The restaurant asked me to pick up a shift today and tomorrow and I told them I could do tomorrow (which I am starting to regret), but hopefully the tips will be good and make up for it. I worked on Monday night and it was so busy. Apparently it has been like that all week so they are trying to add staff to the floor. This is the second last week of these courses though and after that I will be starting a new one but thankfully it will only be one course. I think it'll be a lot more manageable.

So while I sit in this chair for the next 6 hours, please say a prayer to the paper gods for me!

- A