Retail sucks, plain and simple. It’s an industry that most young people end up working in just because they “don’t have the skills” to do anything else. The low pay and florescent lights make you feel less human as you wear your biggest and brightest smile for the world.

Unfortunately, it makes you grow some thick skin due to the constant abuse from customers. The amount of literal blood, sweat and tears that you put into your job make you question every shift why you do this? When you walk by the mirror in the fitting rooms, you catch what looks like a ghost of your former self: pale, exhausted and a hint of bitterness.

Luckily, there are a group of people, that if you’re lucky, get to make this soul-sucking experience bearable. They’re called your co-workers. You owe a lot to these people, and the time has come to say thank you for all that they’ve done.

1. Thank you for keeping me sane.

There were plenty of times that I wanted to punch everyone that walked into the store. How could people be so rude and disrespectful? You were always there to keep me calm and bring me back to reality. You knew what each one of my facial expressions meant, and as soon as you saw my eyes do that crazy thing, you'd come running to save the day.

2. Thank you for letting me eat your food.

This is probably the biggest thing I can thank you for. I honestly don’t know how i would have made it through all those shifts if you didn’t let me eat some of your Asian Chao or Chick-fil-A fries. You literally held my life in your hands multiple times and decided to keep me alive by providing sustenance. You’re the real MVP.

3. Thank you for letting me complain about the awful people.

I’m not just talking about the customers—this goes for all the awful coworkers that somehow made it through the interview process that was supposed to be “very selective.” Listening to the gross, overly detailed stories from these people would have made me quit if I didn’t have you to laugh with at those uncomfortable situations.

4. Thanks for sticking up for me.

All those times customers swore on their lives that they never wore that shrunk, faded and ripped dress and wanted to return it, or when our manager was being completely ridiculous in their expectations, you were there to have my back.

5. Thanks for being my only source of entertainment and lifelong friendship.

Going to school and working full time doesn’t leave much room for a social life—so you were my life. You were the people I couldn’t wait to talk to and spend eight hours of my day with. Making up ridiculous dances and singing to the repetitive playlist, hiding from customers behind tables and writing secret love notes to each other are memories I'll cherish forever. While we all have moved on, you will always be considered part of my weird twisted family.

Love you guys.