The majority of my college career has been defined by three activities. Class. Kappa Delta. and work. When I was a freshman I had no idea what to do with my awkward five week Christmas break. I decided to get a job at a coffee shop in Palo Alto where one of my friends worked to fill my January and make some extra cash. I'd love to put the name of the company that I work for in here but I live in fear of our media policy so I will refrain. My employer doesn't use "venti" and "tall" to describe our sizes to say the least. I have always joked that I wanted to keep a blog about my company because I have such mixed feelings about it.
I love the people that I work for because I believe in the product- Coffee is supposed to taste the way we sell it. There is no gimmick and it is a purely great product. Selling it is really easy and I hold way to much pride in the amount of money that my store makes. Because I have worked there for so long I have seem incredible transitions in the staff. I used to talk about my "dream team" because I loved my team so much, but now I look at the staff and look at who I can deal with. My job was once my haven, no matter how much homework I had or what ever else was on my mind, I could go to work and just focus. Forming consistent relationships with customers was easy, we have tons of regulars and I began to remember a lot of their names and formed personal relationships. The holidays have always been my favorite time to work, I was hired during Christmas and I love the pandemonium. This will be my fourth Christmas there and part of my is pretty damn excited.
On the other hand, working there makes me want to pull my hair out. My customers know nothing about me and treat me like a machine. It can be really annoying. Nearly all of my customers are rich Palo Alto residents with enough money to not have to care about anything except the aesthetics of their lives. I HATE people who don't say please and thank you. Do you really want your kids to hear you being rude and have them grow up with no manners? I know that my parents did not raise me that way. I also really dislike a lot of people's orders- if a latte needs more than three adjectives I get annoyed. UGH. I guess after 3 years I'm used to it. My personal coffee order is just coffee with milk or tea- what's wrong with the simplicity of coffee with milk and sugar? I used to be afraid of offending a customer or someone higher in rank than me, I still kind of do. After this long there is nothing precarious about this job. I could be promoted if I wanted but honestly I like the simplicity of what I do and not having to commit myself more than I like. This job feeds my addiction- rarely will I go a day without having at least two caffeinated drinks. Bad habit, I know, but it could be worse right?
Aesthetic- of or concerning the appreciation of beauty and good taste.
Precarious- Dangerously lacking in security.
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