This summer marks the first one in about 7 years that I'm completely free of working in retail. And boy, does it feel great.

It's funny when I think about the impression many people--looking at you baby-boomers--have about young people working in retail. I think the common associations are laziness, lack of a college degree or some other reason they think you're failing at life.

Little do those outside of the industry know, retail is WORK!

In almost every retail job you're on your feet for most of your shift, if not all of it. You spend most of your time grinning and greeting customers who most likely ignore you. And then, that same lady who ignored you while her kids destroyed the entire sales floor, starts yelling because you can't accept a coupon that expired 7 months ago!

Management can be even more stressful because you're hardly home, and an 8-hour shift can turn into a 16 hour one easily when that 18-year-old kid you hired last week doesn't show up.

If you've ever worked a retail job, or have been in a relationship with someone who has, you know the struggle of...

...missing nights with friends because you ALWAYS close on weekends.

...hating everyone you know when they tell you about their Black Friday deals because you were trapped in a store all day, AND NOT SHOPPING.

...missing family vacations because when you're full-time, the paid time off is scarce.

...working on Christmas Eve...New Years...and don't even get me started on July 4th!

...and of course the summer.

If you're a retail employee I'm sure you can relate to this scenario: Your BFF texts you on a breezy summer night, after you've just worked an 8-hour shift in a packed store or restaurant, and says something like "GIRL, we are going to the beach bright and early tomorrow, you in?"

Every part of you wants to say "We out!" But instead, you say something like, "Maybe if I feel like getting fired tomorrow." And there it is, summer day after summer day gone. Most times, when you do have the day off, you'd rather lie in bed all day bingeing Netflix. Its a vicious cycle and its pretty unfair.

Now I know what you're thinking. Yeah sure, that's all true, but I can't just quit my retail job! And you're right, you can't. Gas and rent and food are all real things and those things cost money.

But I guess this is my way of giving you a little hope that once you get through school, stressful retail jobs, managers who make you want to pull your hair out and customers who make you wonder how common common sense really is, you'll be better off for it.

You'll be able to look back on your time in retail and realize you've gained an incredible ability to deal with really sucky situations, great people skills and a serious ability to organize. So while it sucks now, just know, you'll end up being the one who cherishes summer more than anyone you know