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

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

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

Can You Work Tomorrow?

So I have been surviving the dreaded graduation season.

This week has been crazy. I work 5 shifts this week (2 which are doubles) and have 3 papers due at the end of the week. I am just about to start the first paper that is due tomorrow night. Upon sitting down to start working, my manager texted me and asked me if I could work at noon tomorrow (on top of my dinner shift). I find it hard to pick up shifts because I am also trying to balance school but they are constantly asking me to pick up shifts and I feel like every time I say no, they get a little angry.

So here I am, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Pick up a shift and give up time to do my papers or piss off my employers and get my homework done?

I just wish things could run smoothly but that never seems to be the case.

I hope your enjoying your week, friends!

- A