If you spent your summer on a tropical island, then there's a good chance you will relate to none of this (PS- I'm jealous of your vacation). On the other hand, if you worked in food service, customer service, retail, or literally anywhere else this summer, you'll understand. Disclaimer: I love my job at Rita's Water Ice, please don't assume anything else. I've learned the following things, and much more. I sincerely hope that you have gained as much from your summer employment as I have.
1. People can be awesome
Some people are genuinely appreciative of everything that is done for them. I've even dealt with people who were enthusiastic about me handing them napkins. The people who radiate happiness everywhere they travel are the ones who keep everyone else going, and I absolutely love coming into contact with them.
2. People can be awful
Have you ever been screamed at for a cotton candy flavor shortage? I have. People yell about flavors, they yell about prices, and older men tend to call the young women working behind the counter "babe" (that's another issue entirely). It's impossible to make everyone happy though, so my co-workers and I generally move on within about 10 minutes- although we will probably speak of it again when we need to dilute the boredom that comes with a slow night.
3. Coupons are the root of all evil
I'm not sure why people assume they can use 4 coupons in one order, but they do. The print at the bottom is there to let everyone know that a coupon is not to be combined with any other offer, but when it is read and explained to them, they're never very happy or understanding. And don't even get me started on the customers who ask you to ring up their order 5 different ways with 5 different coupons to see which deal is best...
4. Ice cream is capable of making a child's entire day
There's nothing better than a child screaming about how pretty their sprinkles look or how good their gummy bears taste. Just like the adults who radiate happiness, kids like this keep everyone else going too.
5. People working in customer and food service jobs are pretty much always doing more work than the general public assumes they are
My co-workers work hard from the time that they come in until the time that they leave. And they're not just responsible for handing out water ice and ice cream either. There's a lot of behind the scenes work that goes along with being an employee at Rita's, and everybody consistently works to their fullest potential.
6. Complaining to somebody who doesn't have the power to fix your problem is a waste of time
I can't change the prices, so why am I being yelled at for it? Maybe I'll stop complaining to my boyfriend whenever I have homework, because now that I think of it, he really can't do much about it.
7. Everything is what you make of it
Luckily, I didn't have to try very hard to be happy at my job this summer. It was a good environment filled with good people. But I did realize that on days where I was tired, or a customer had recently annoyed me, mindset does make a difference. A positive attitude makes everything easier, and you have nothing to lose by trying it.
I could go on and on about the lessons I learned this summer, but I don't think you want to read that much, and I doubt my editor does either. All I can say at this point is I can't wait to see what next summer brings.
