New Year Same Debt

Hey readers,

It's been a while since I've blogged but...

nothing has really been going on
things have been going well

Those are lies. I enjoyed my break off but came back in the new semester to be completely bombarded with work and readings. It's week two and I am already overwhelmed.

Yesterday was my first shift back at the diner so I've been off for about a month and was so nervous to start back up after being off so long. You lose the flow.

We were short a person so it was only me and another server and of course we got SLAMMED.

I was so overwhelmed and my owner kept yelling at me and I was just on the verge of tears from the start of my shift at 10:00 am till we closed at 3. For my whole shift, the restaurant stayed full and I had to end up telling people to leave after we closed. I ended up making $120 which is like insane for that job but it was just so not worth the stress. I went home and napped for a couple hours because of how mentally drained I was.

I need the money though, I literally don't know how I am going to pay for second semester because my student loan gave me hardly anything this year so I don't really know what I am going to do about it.

I plan on talking to the financial aid office at the university (who deals with the government student loans) and maybe there was an error in my funding or we can come up with a solution.

Overall, I feel a little over worked but life ain't easy.

Forget it Jake, it's China Town

xoxo

- A

Sick sick sick

I had to call in sick today at the diner because I am another victim claimed by the December flu bug going around :(

Of course it is cold and flu season and being stressed with finals, papers and applying to grad schools probably made my immune system non-existent. All you can do is rest, bundle up and drink a lot of fluids.

Next weekend I work Saturday and Sunday so at least I will still be making some money! The diner hasn't been as busy and we have had an extra server on. That's the only reason why I was able to call in sick today. The owner knew we wouldn't be as busy and could spare a server so that's good.

I am continuing to plow through school since I have a cruise to look forward to. I finished my 30 page paper last night that's due on Tuesday. I don't think I have ever handed in an assignment early but man does it feel good!

So I guess other than this nasty cold, I'm doing alright.

Happy holidays, friends. I HOPE the holiday tipper comes your way just in time for Christmas.


xoxo

- A

I've got a guardian angel

Hi friends!


SO a couple of things. I will talk about my shift on Sunday first which was nuts.

So I started an hour earlier and we had an extra person on because my owner knew it would be chaotic due to an event going on at the high school near by. We got slammed but it went smoothly. UNTIL all of the other servers were cut and it was just me.

The way it works at the diner is once it gets quieter, the owner transfers the (cut) servers tables over to the next person and so on. My owner just cut everyone though even though 75% of the tables were other servers and I kept getting new tables. So I had to keep track of whose tables were whose because they still get their tips. I was so weeded. One server didn't even put a tables order in and left and I was so busy I couldn't get to them and find out that they were waiting over an hour for breakfast. My owner ended up finding out. She didn't blame me for anything though, she knew I was left with a huge mess.

I really don't know why we can't finish our tables when we are cut because this system is whack. I'm sure it helps to keep labour costs down and that's important in a small place like this but I think that there needs to be changes in regards to that.

In other news though, I was griping at how poor I am just in time for the holidays and my owner asked me if I could work both days of the weekend (which means she thinks I'm good). So I will be making double the money just in time for the holidays.


My parents told me yesterday that they want to take me on a cruise over my Christmas break so things are looking up for this poor little burnt out student.


Happy (early) holidays my friends,

xoxo

- A

Help me, I'm poor

So as November comes to a close, so does my bank account.


I'm so poor! School has drained me of all of my money

well that and pizza.



I feel that I work the same amount of time that I worked at my old place last year but I just can't make any money! I love the diner but I just don't make enough money!

They asked me to come in an hour early for all of my shifts because they're getting busier so that's good at least!

and with the Christmas season coming up, the owner might need people to work during the week (she usually works alone during the week and only has people during the weekend) so I put my name in so maybe she can give me some more shifts just for the Christmas season.


Is anyone else starting to feel the stress of Christmas?

xoxo

- A

A day late and a dollar short

So if you are familiar with post-secondary education, you must understand that the month of November is when all of the school fun stops because you are just being completely bombarded with assignments and midterms.

This semester is not holding back. Every time I feel like I got a bit ahead, I realize that there is no such thing as being ahead, but just 2 steps away from the monster that is chasing you and hot on your trail.

Work is good. I wish I was working more than one three hour shift a week. I did that at my old place and usually took home around 80 dollars a shift. I seem to average 50 at the diner which just isn't cutting it.

I have a bit of a funny story for you that I've been trying to find time to write about. A couple weeks ago I was changing and refilling the little bottles of hot sauce that we keep on the tables at the diner. One had been clogged so I aimed it at the sink and squeezed it as hard as I could. Like a complete idiot.

Of course it came out and I was squeezing the bottle so much that it splattered all over the place and hit me in the face, eyes, pretty much my entire upper body. I literally finished my shift splattered in hot sauce. My skin was burning (I took the time to wash it out of my eyes at least) and a customer had the nerve to laugh and call me a chicken wing.

Let's just say when I came home, my roommates became hysterical over my bad luck and poor decisions.

Anyways,

These last couple of weeks have just felt like two steps forward one step back. At least we are slowly getting closer to Christmas break. I finish exams really early this semester so I will get to enjoy the Christmas season without being covered in hives resulting from school stress (true story).

If you are in school, it sucks but just keep going! We are in the darkest part of the tunnel but when the light begins to show, you'll forget how far down you were.

and if you're a server. I hope you at least have a funny experience because even serving can suck your soul dry sometimes.


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

No, the customer isn't always right

So I worked my first real shift on my own at the diner yesterday and I was sordove surprised to see how things ran.

I have only worked for chains and in the chains, anything the customer wants goes. They can pretty much create their own dishes. Companies just want their customers to be satisfied no matter the strain it puts on employees.

Here, the same rules do not exist. I had a woman ask for one poached egg and an english muffin. I asked the owner how to ring it in and she said she doesn't do that. She said, "the customers can't create their own meals, that's why we make the menu. If she wants that, we have to charge her for two eggs (because it's a menu item) and explain it to her". I was a little surprised that they wouldn't accommodate for her. I just thought when you are a small business, you want to do what the customer wants to make sure you keep getting business.

She didn't end up ordering anything so we essentially lost money from that. At the end of the day, I don't find this to be a big deal. In fact, it makes my life easier because what you see is what you get. I was just surprised to see how it runs that way.

I won't be working for the next two weeks as I am about to get my first break of school and go home for the week so that'll be a nice break!

School is really kicking my butt. I just had a midterm today and have another on Thursday plus a paper due tomorrow!

Hang in there fellow students,

xoxo

- A

You really like me?!

Hey readers!

I finally had my second shift today and I served a 2 table section. I was a little hesitant because I hardly know the menu still. I've been slacking because school has already gotten crazy. Serving tables there is so different from my summer place. It was nice and easy going. The tips weren't too bad either! I got a 15 dollar tip on a 20 dollar bill. The girl who was watching over me was like "what the hell!". I tend to make good tips, I've noticed :).

This place actually makes me feel like a valuable person. All of the other places treated me like an easily replaceable cookie cut-out but this place actually asks me questions that are to ensure that I am doing alright and enjoying my work experience. It's really a nice change. The owners are so nice.

Overall, I'm excited to go back next weekend. The owner said she wasn't expecting me to be that good and now is going to give me a regular section. She said she could tell that I was nervous but I could still do it. She really understands me haha.

I hope you're all doing well!

xoxo

- A

They had an electric orange juicer!

So I got the job!

Apparently she loved me right away and knew she wanted to hire me. The menu test was only a way of getting me to seriously study the menu so I could be more prepared. I worked my first shift yesterday morning. They didn't have me serving really. I just sat tables, bussed a lot, ran some food and helped the other servers with their stuff. It was a good way to just get a feel for the place.

So I'm happy. I really like the staff, they are all so nice and friendly. It was just a good experience.

And it was A LOT busier than I would have expected. It was pretty busy for like a solid 2 hours of my shift (I worked 3). So I could make decent tips, especially since turnover is probably pretty quick because it's breakfast.

So here is to a new chapter and a lot of new stories!


xoxo

- A