When I first hear the term “big box store”, I immediately think of the NBC sitcom Superstore. With the outrageous characters and storylines, I have fallen in love with the series.
Part of why I like the show so much though is because I worked at a big box store for the summer of 2020.
Because of COVID-19, I lost my potential internship at an OB-GYN’s office. Although disappointing when I first got the news, I was excited to explore a new avenue that I wouldn’t have experienced in the first place.
I got hired at Walmart in May 2020. I was given the handbook, my vest, and nametag all on the first day. I worked in Online Grocery Pickup department. My job was to pick items off the shelves that customers had ordered, bag them, and repeat the process for my shift. Whether it was grabbing soda cans off the shelves or diapers, I really enjoyed my job.
What I loved most about working at Walmart were my coworkers. Everyone had a story as to how they ended up working there. Whether it was because they needed to work after they were laid off, they needed a couple extra dollars when they had a baby, or it was their summer job, everyone had a story. My coworkers had a friendly attitude, while also maintaining a great sense of humor with it all.
Although my coworkers really made working at Walmart amazing, I learned that every person deserves respect. In our society, people who are different are not always treated fairly. Whether it is their gender, sexuality, race, socioeconomic situation, or immigration status, some people are not given the respect that they deserve. I didn’t realize just how much I took for granted. It’s heartbreaking to hear that a Lunchable is too expensive this week or that $10 is all a family can spend on school supplies for the year.
My favorite coworker from Walmart was a woman named Lisa. Lisa trained me when I first started working and we got along very well because of our naturally shy ways. However, once we opened up and started talking more, we realized that we had a lot more in common than we thought. After working together for 3 months, I learned how important it is to have confidence in your position at work but also to have a sense of humor when things don’t go your way.
Even with COVID-19, I was given the opportunity to have a summer that I’ll never forget.