First week on the jobbbb!

Sooooo... I finally got myself a job! My first, actually 😅. I needed to get one for my work based learning to be able to graduate and also I just really want some more money, I don't like being restricted to just refund checks every semester that drop whenever the hell the school decides 😭

So I ended up getting a job at a pizza chain (not specifying which for more anonymity but it's one of the big ones) and I've worked 3 days so far, and trained for 2 days on top of that. I've got over 20 hours between the work and the training so my paycheck is gonna be pretty decent after next week! (We get paid biweekly and the starting pay for my position is 8.50 which .. ehhh I wish it was more but money is money so I won't complain)

The computer training was very monotonous to do and put up with, and honestly outdated, quizzing me on items they don't even sell anymore and no mention of any of our newer items 😭 but I finished it in about 2 days (3 and a half hours each day)

Now my FIRST SHIFT??? (August 14th, 2026) Something else entirely. I get there and my mom is gone atp (she also works there as a delivery driver but got off already before I clocked in, she's the whole reason I was able to get the job without an interview necessary, networking unfortunately does matter TwT), I'm being trained and like, 30 minutes into the shift all of a sudden, the make line monitor is absolutely FLOODED and on top of that there was a plan ahead order for like 50 FUCKING PIZZAS. Mind you, I was only taught about desserts and wings and I was in the MIDDLE of being taught how to top the pizza and look for the topping measurements on the chart and look at the specialty pizza charts! I'm standing here flustered as hell trying to top the pepperoni pizzas and having to unfold every single one and it's aggravating as hell (unless it's a fresh prepped batch of them, you'll be stuck unfolding the ones near the bottom after they've been tossed around). Finally the order stopped and it's a little bit easier, my god, but the not so funny part? MY MOM KNEW ABOUT THE ORDER AND DIDN'T WARN ME. She thought they wouldn't have me on the make line so early but she already gave me a tour of the place whenever I visited in the past, plus computer training so my trainer's tour was short. 

Second day (August 15th), kinda quiet-ish tbh, I worked with my mom for the most part since she didn't get off til the middle of my shift and even then she left and came back like 45 minutes before it ended to sit in the office or watch me work. Started topping vegetables though and I made my first works pizza topped all on my own! (It was a canceled order, and I was only on cheese, pepperoni, wings and desserts my first day to pace myself better, per my trainer's orders, the second day we expanded to the other vegetables and the other meats)

Third day (Yesterday, August 16th), it was pretty slow yesterday honestly! I don't mind it though it's better for my learning. Topped pizzas like normal, my mom showed me where certain things were in the freezer and we topped pizzas together. She actually had to clock out bc she can't get more than 40 hours a week BUT she actually stayed with me my whole shift aside from leaving briefly to see someone rq, but she literally stayed MY WHOLE SHIFT. (She clocked out an hour in and I didn't get off til 9). That woman hates that job. HATES it. But she was actually enjoying herself when I was there, so much so that she was willing to do unpaid labor for an extra 3 hours! I think me joining it made it a bit more bearable, aside from the fact that most of the ppl that irk her left later as well. I'm glad, though, I like working with her! Other notable things that happened that shift: I made my first sandwich! (Wasn't supposed to be doing that according to my trainer but she was off work yesterday but oh well). One of my coworkers also brought his dog, Rudy, by the job yesterday, he's being put down on Thursday, poor boy, he looked really old and frail so I get it, but he was really sweet for me getting to see him and pet him a bit, he licked my hand, he's just a sweet baby and I hope he goes easy, he's like 14 or 16 in human years so he's definitely seen a lot.

The set of coworkers I seem to be working with are actually pretty decent! My trainer is cool, she reminds me of Eda from TOH if I'm being honest with you 😭 she's kinda sarcastic and her humor is dry but she's cool, she also makes appetizers at home that she brings to work to let us try, they've been good so far! She's been helping me remember certain things as well so I pick them up better! (Mainly cheese measurements). Also have another 'trainer' so to speak, not officially but he's been pretty helpful with helping me figure certain things out as well! He was also off yesterday though TwT. My trainer's husband was definitely helpful and more talkative in the last hour of my shift and definitely helped explain some stuff so he's cool! Also got other personalities, only one of them irritates me a bit because he acts like I'm absolutely clueless about what's going on, like I'm new but I'm not stupid, I'm being taught certain things and others I already have experience with because I LITERALLY GO TO SCHOOL FOR THIS KINDA STUFF. Also have another coworker who tries to give advice but he's literally so quiet you can barely hear him and I'll be LUCKY to even understand a little bit of what he's saying 😭. They tend to be pretty understanding when I make mistakes though, I made a couple yesterday (almost put a few pizzas in the oven that didn't have cheese (they had pepperoni on top and usually pepperoni goes on last but sometimes it goes under the cheese), accidentally made a 10 wing when 10pcs are *boneless* wings and a 10pc wasn't even ordered, it was a 10 inch buffalo chicken pizza that was ordered that I mistook for a 10 pc TwT. Surprisingly mistakes like that happen even with ppl who work here for longer so I feel a bit better about them at least!

I also learned that I don't do good when trying to use measuring cups for everything. I'm being trained to only use the cups for portioning purposes, but later into my shift when we're getting closer to closing time, they take up all of the cups except for the cheese cups, and honestly??? I work better with that rather than trying to remember the measurements and how many cups go on what size pizza, it's too much for my brain to remember and it slows me down so much, I only really have the capacity rn to remember how much cheese usually goes on what size pizza without extra/light alterations and I'm starting to remember how much pepperoni goes on each pizza. I need the extra room in my brain to remember how to prepare the specialty pizzas because they have different combos than the plain one topping pizzas and I work better when I can just trust my judgement, visualize what looks right, and keep it moving, I work faster and more efficient that way, I start to overthink too much and it makes my brain malfunction when I gotta scan the charts each and every time. And the funny thing is, I feel like I don't even need the cups! (Aside from cheese, I'll always use cups for cheese bc that's the most expensive item and using too much hurts the store and food costs) Because I made several pizzas over the last few days without them and I've been told by others that they look good, both in amounts AND even distribution across the pizza so like...??? 

Overall, my first week on the job was pretty eventful and honestly fun! Also, INSANELY tiring, doesn't matter if I work 3 hours or 5, I hit the bed and sleep like a ROCK when I get off, legs be tired as hell 😭 but I can't wait to go back next Friday!