The fourth of July is one of the most important dates of the summer. People of all ages look forward to their day off to enjoy red, white and blue treats and fireworks that light up the night. Unfortunately, for some of us, the Fourth is just like any other day. The poor souls who do not have the day off from their summer jobs celebrate their American pride in a much less exciting way.
1. No festive attire
Pretty much everyone I know is required to wear some type of uniform to work. A hostess usually wears all black and interns are typically required to dress like a real adult. Either way, there isn't much freedom with your red, white and blue attire. So, keep those classic Old Navy tees in your closet! They sure didn't see the sun this fourth.
2. No parades
One of the most traditional activities on the Fourth is attending your local parade. Seeing veterans and soldiers march in a caravan of firefighters and high school marching bands gives off a patriotic vibe like no other. Too bad you missed it!
3. No barbecues
One of the best parts of any holiday is the food! The red, white and blue dessert combinations that the suburban moms in your neighborhood created are simply irresistible. Unfortunately, since you had to work you're stuck with that paper bag lunch with a plain old sandwich.
4. Absolutely NO partying
Since you're working, odds are you're not turning up with you're friends and family to celebrate the greatest country on earth. This is probably the heartbreak of the summer because everyone else seems to be having a blast.
5. Work is either a zoo or a deserted town
Because it's a holiday, people are looking to have a good time. If you work at a fancy restaurant or at a beach, odds are it's going to be chaos. On the other hand, if you work in retail or at a simple shop, you'll probably have A LOT of downtime. Either way it's not fun.
6. No traveling
Saying "no" to a trip to the Cape for the weekend of the Fourth is painful. You know you're missing out, but you just need the money and obviously can't get coverage for the most hectic weekend of the summer.
7. Missing out on fireworks
The absolute best part about the Fourth are the fireworks. Our country's colors light up the sky, reminding everyone how beautiful America really is. However, instead of witnessing the fireworks, you're probably closing up shop listening to the booms and cracks without a view of the sky.
8. Social media is buzzing
No matter the social media, there are endless posts of people partying, going to the beach, or posting about their pride. It's exhausting! A fifteen minute break can only allow so much catching up!
9. Being too tired to go out after work
After a long day of work, you're so tempted to go out and catch up on the holiday fun, but is it really worth it? Crawling into bed and watching Saving Private Ryan sounds a lot more appealing to me.
10. FOMO is real
The fear of missing out is probably the worst epidemic and on a holiday, it's deadly. The constant snap story updates and overloaded Instagram feed is excruciating and only reminds you of how much you're missing out on.
Regardless of the awful task of having to work on the greatest party of the summer, just remind yourself that you're working hard to make some dough. Isn't that what America's all about anyway? Just because your friends may have had way more fun than you, doesn't mean that you love the greatest country on earth any less!
