Since I talked about my experiences when I was a barista, I couldn't help but to think about some of the good and not so good memories that I had with my first job. Can you still remember how it was during your first job? Are you still in contact with the people you've worked with? Or are you still currently working with the company?
My first job has been an eye opener for me to the real world. I have experienced being looked down because I was just a restaurant staff. It was expected since my parents also looked down on me when I pursued this path. For them I was just a mere server who serves food. A server who have studied in an exclusive school with a very high tuition and only ended up being a server. A server who only earns a minimum amount. Yes, I was a server but I think they have forgotten that I was also a human.
It was during those times that I have built my wall from my family. I became rebellious not because I was influenced by my workmates but because of how they made me feel how small I was. Rather than congratulating me for getting hired, they wanted me to resign. I know it was painful for them to see me sweeping and mopping the floors, wiping the tables and glass panels even more so when they found out I was cleaning the rest rooms. But that was the path that I chose.
FUN FACT: even my boss thought that I wouldn't last a month because of my background. But I worked with them for less than 2 years because I had to resign for personal reason. Something that made a huge impact with my relationship with my family.
It was during my first job where I have experienced a lot of firsts. First love, first heartbreak, first company Christmas party, first grand prize winner, first promotion and first company outing. There's probably a lot more first but those are what's currently on my mind.
It was also when I was at my first job when I have experienced having suitors wherein a guest would go to the store everyday to talk to me and ask how my day was, a guest who would bring me food almost everyday, a guest who would ask me out to watch a movie and even a staff from a different restaurant asking me to go with him and watch a dog fight. Yes, you read that right. It was a dog fight. That time we still didn't have a dog but we grew up having a dog one after the other. He even brought his American Bully in the store and was really insisting me to go out with him. I told him I love dogs and I don't want to watch them fight. I remember the people at the gas station where even guarding me that time because that guy really didn't leave our store even if I have already told him that I wouldn't go out with him. He was actually good looking.
I must admit that I was really flattered when someone likes me. Honestly it was my first time when I have experienced that there were guys who admired me. I have never felt that when I was growing up. I was always the one who has a crush on someone and not the other way around. My workmates liked it even more because the guest who brings food everyday also bring some for them. At first my workmates didn't want me to eat it because there might be something on it like a love potion. LOL. Turns out there wasn't but if there was and that didn't work at all.
My suitors were either a lawyer, a graduating student, a businessman, a restaurant staff and a person with special needs but none of them passed my standards. Why? I already have someone that I like and it was our pump attendant or gas boy. I entertained him and the friend of my workmate. I should have given my workmate's friend a chance. Is my hair too long? Oh yeeeees! Very long! LOL. Sorry I am just so happy to share about these things. But it was only during that time when I have experienced having suitors. I felt like I was cursed because I didn't have any suitors after that. LOL.
Not only was I thankful that I get to experience what it feels like to have suitors but what I was most thankful for was that the experiences and learnings that I have had with the company. I did not have any bad records with the company but I had a lot of bad decisions which have caused a lot of problems and arguments with my family especially to my mom. Our boss even gave me some advices. She was actually right when she said that family is what's important.
I am still friends with my workmates from my first job but we don't hang out anymore. We stopped seeing each other after a year that I left the company though we still update each other about our lives sometimes. My first job will always be very memorable for me but there are also some parts of it where I want to delete or totally forget. However there's no rewind and I can never undo what I have done before. All I know is that things happen for us to learn and to grow. So whether it is good or not, we should always be thankful for everything.
P.S. lead image is an espresso machine in one small coffee shop.
