I still remember my first shift at La Senza. I was seventeen, incredibly awkward, and trying so hard to look like I knew what I was doing. Looking back now, I'm sure everyone could tell I was nervous, but at the time I thought I was hiding it perfectly.
Starting your first job is a strange experience because no one really prepares you for it. One day you're sitting in a classroom, and the next you're expected to greet customers, answer questions confidently, and somehow remember where everything is. I quickly realized that working wasn't just about getting a paycheque. It was about learning how to be responsible for myself.
Retail teaches you a lot about people. Some customers are patient and kind, while others seem determined to make your shift as difficult as possible. I learned how to stay calm under pressure, how to solve problems, and how to smile even when my social battery had completely disappeared.
Then there was payday. Seeing that first deposit in my bank account felt like I had won the lottery. I immediately started thinking about all the things I wanted to buy, convinced that having a job meant I'd never worry about money again.
That illusion disappeared pretty quickly. Once I started paying for my own clothes, lunches, and little everyday expenses, I realized how quickly money could disappear. I began to understand that every dollar represented time, and every purchase was something I'd worked for.
Looking back, I don't remember every shift or every customer. What I remember is becoming more confident. That awkward seventeen year old slowly realized she could handle more than she thought, and I think that's the real value of a first job.