I haven't had very many jobs. When I began high school, I was a "volunteen" at a summer camp for kids—which decidedly put me off of ever reproducing. In my senior year, I was a courtesy clerk (ahem, grocery bagger) at my local supermarket; I held this job for two months before I quit because it was quite literally the most mind-numbing thing I've ever done.
Then came working at Fair Trade Cafe. Honesty hour: I was shocked that I got the job, actually. I had no cafe experience—or real job experience, for that matter—and I was an honors student taking 18 credit hours in my first semester. I was a heavy burden to take on, and my friend and former boss Stephanie Vasquez took a chance on me. With that, let me begin telling you what I learned in my time as a barista.
No matter who you are, you're worth a second impression. As much as I didn't think I'd get a call back for that job, there are times when I've made wrong judgements on people who walked in through the cafe doors. There are times when I assumed someone came in to try and steal the tip jar or to heckle me for free food; in reality they were paying customers who just wanted a bite to eat. In fact, one of these people asked me which cookie was my favorite and bought it for me just so he could use the restroom. People deserve a second impression. Don't deny them one if you would want it, too.
As long as you try hard, you can do anything. There was a long time that I was not that good at my job. I was told it would take me a year to catch on, but I had always been a quick learner. This job was the exception. It was hard. There were a million things to remember, the shifts were long and people were frequently unappreciative. But I really, really wanted to be good at barista-ing because I knew—deep down—that I could. You're capable of just about anything. When you think you can't, you should never give up.
People suck, but just keep smiling. There will be a customer who yells at you; there will be a coworker who slacks on the job; there will be some scum who steals your tip jar. People suck, but you never know when that annoying action is a cry for help. There are times when your small talk or your smile can be the most meaningful part of someone's day. I know it sucks, and I know it can be taxing on your emotions, but sometimes your selflessness can mean the world to someone else. For instance, when I was working at that supermarket, I asked a customer how her day was going. She immediately broke down into tears and told me her husband had terminal cancer and was nearing death. I walked her out to her car, hugged her and gave her some words of encouragement and sympathy. She told me I was an angel, and I have never forgotten her face, her voice or this lesson: you really don't know what other people are going through until you ask. Be human—it's quite literally the least thing you could do.
Reach the columnist at Nicole.Tyau@asu.edu and on Twitter @nicoletyau_ASU.
Nicole Tyau is a sophomore at ASU and also works for The State Press as an opinions columnist. She is majoring in journalism with a focus in print and multimedia. One of the biggest tools in her written arsenal is sarcasm, so enjoy the ride and don’t take it too seriously.
