It's that time of year. When young adults from high schoolers to college students decide they need some extra cash this summer and apply anywhere, because hey, you gotta start somewhere. The pickings are slim, but retail has always been a good, solid option. You've known friends who've done it, it was probably a family member's first job, or maybe both. It looks so easy when you see them do it at the mall, how hard can it be? What people do not realize is what goes on in retail does not necessarily stay in retail...
1. When you first walk in a store, you immediately recognize the song that's playing.
Because all stores play the same music over and over and over...
2. If there are loose or misplaced clothes or a messy looking table in that store, you secretly have a mini panic attack.
I'm not even working, why am I folding this right now?
3. You feel compelled to ring up your own stuff just to give the cashier a break.
4. You avoid dressing rooms at all costs.
You've worked dressing rooms, you've seen things in dressing rooms, you now avoid dressing rooms.
5. All your clothes are from the same store
Four words: employee discount, dress code.
6. You can easily tell if a person is a good customer or bad customer.
It all depends on what shoe they're wearing: platform flip flops and wedges are never good.
7. Teenagers still make your skin crawl.
Female teenagers, specifically those who just got their license and are finally allowed to go to the mall alone with their friends. And they are not subtle about it at all.
8. You've learned to go hours without eating.
And when you do, you bet it's all gone in under 30 minutes.
9. All your clothes at home are folded so perfectly at all times your friends think you have some sort of maid service.
No, I just have PTSD from getting yelled at about it 15 times a day.
10. You've perfected the "big, open, friendly, but dying on the inside" smile.
In fact, your jaw muscles are incredible due to doing it so much a day.
11. If you're not working, you literally have no idea what to do with your life.
You're so used to working such long hours that you still feel a little suspicious when you have so much free time.
12. Who are you kidding, you're probably still working in retail.
In the end, that is where all you're experience is. That is where life has tested you the most and you learned all your biggest lessons. Right now its where you feel more comfortable. You probably even made some pretty cool friends along the way. Also lets face it, all the money is in retail.
