We all have “first” in our lives such as first kiss, first love or first job. These events are memorable milestones that we will always remember no matter how embarrassing, unforgettable or cringe worthy they were. A first job is probably the most memorable “first” in our lives because it symbolizes freedom since we no longer have to depend on our parents for money, meaning we can buy all the Starbucks in the world knowing we worked hard for it. However, a first job also means responsibility. Primarily because we must not only find a job, but also learn how to maintain it.
A first job gives us a real taste of the adult world, and in the adult world school and homework are not seen as obstacles. As adults we are expected to juggle any situation swiftly, but this is often times difficult since us teenagers think that they have to jiggle a social life, a job, and an education. However first jobs didn’t just to give us life lessons and headaches, but also memorable experiences. Who can forget the excitement of getting their first check and spending it all on clothes and other unnecessary things and getting that pep talk afterwards about money management from our parents. Nevertheless, this new environment helped us interact with new people, and helped us build new relationships with co- workers that were also most likely new to the whole “adulting” thing too. Not to mention, we have all gotten that unusual customer that has either yelled at us, confused us, or annoyed us in any way.
Even if you completely hated your job, you still have a sweet spot for it because that is probably where you made the most mistakes. And let’s face it, if you ever worked in retail, food service, or any type of customer service job, you can’t help but feel bad for those poor unfortunate souls working your formal position or criticizing the newbies for not doing the job “correctly” in your eyes. A first job is full of fun memories that we will always cherish because it marks the beginning to the long journey of ADULTHOOD.