How To: Cafeteria Life

Hello friends. It's been a while, and not even just on this blog, but in actual communication with the people I actually communicate with. I'm sorry about that, and it will soon change, because I have FINISHED TRAINING FOR STUDENT MANAGERS. That means, among other things, that I no longer have to work an average of 12 hours a day, which is super exciting. And I will have more time to write and do things, and you know, classes start tomorrow, too I guess, but those aren't important. I've been here for like three weeks anyway. And also you should tell me about your lives, because I feel like I've missed important things while I've been working so much.

As much as I might complain about working (which I've come to understand is a thing people just have to do, even if they don't really have anything to complain about), I do actually enjoy it. I enjoy the people I work with, and we get along well. Spending so much time together has made us pretty good friends. It's kinda like SPAT camp in marching band in that regard.

That being said, it hasn't all been turtles and ice cream. It's been hard work, and I've gotten to do a lot of things that have frustrated me in strange ways. But I guess that's how you learn. You figure out why you're frustrated, how to get around your frustration, and the next time that situation happens you're totally prepared.

For example, yesterday I vacuumed the entire cafeteria by myself after dinner. It only took an entire hour and it was kinda hard. But also there's a strange soothing-ness to vacuuming. You know that no one will come bother you, because you're already doing something important. It's just you and the carpeting and the large backpack of a vacuum. It's actually a good time to get some introspection done, if you're into that kind of thing. You can reflect on life and your choices and how you got to be the person you are, and who is important in shaping your views about the world.

On the other hand, you can also contemplate the possibility of sucking up an entire cucumber slice with the nozzle. Which is admittedly less earth-shattering when you come to a conclusion, but still an important part of the process. And in case you were wondering, it is NOT possible to suck up an entire cucumber slice. But, see, then you can try other solutions, because bending over to pick up the strange vegetable by hand is just too much work, so you end up smashing the cucumber against the wall of a booth until it's small enough to fit into the vacuum. And once again you've figured out how to overcome the challenges life has given you.

Also, there's not really a feeling comparable to vacuuming a grape or cherry tomato, and I can't even describe it. You'll just have to try it for yourself.

Also, part 2, since these three weeks have been pretty mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting, emotions flow to the surface of my face without really having to be prompted by much. Like, when someone picks emotional power ballads to play over the speakers while we're cleaning, my brain is like: *emotions* at least you have this vacuum to suck up all your tears. So there's that.

To add to the emotions of last night, (like really, what is wrong with me, why is cafeteria work so emotional?) here is the transcription of a conversation I had with a person. Pardon the censored bad words that I have to use.
Me: Enjoy your meal!
Person: Give me some more pork.
Me: Sorry, that's all I can give you. It's a portions thing.
Person: WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!!? (Infinite internal screaming, I'm guessing)
Me: You can always come back for seconds.
Person: Wow. I've never had a caf worker be such a b****. You know what? I don't give a s***. I don't want this stupid-*** food anyway! *storms away like an evil snerb*
Me (not out loud because I'm a decent human being, most of the time): Sorry for trying to feed you. I hope you starve or at least eat only lettuce for the rest of your life.
So that was a cool time. I don't even like people. Someone tell me why I'm attempting to enter a profession in which all you do is deal with people all day every day?  I don't even understand myself.

But aside from that, mostly it's been a good time. I've become an excellent mopper. That's a person who mops. I don't know if you got that. ALSO! It's super fun to use a squeegee, and I recommend that if you've never had the chance to use one, you do so immediately. It will be well worth your time. And  if you can't do that, just say the word "squeegee" a couple times, and you'll immediately feel better.

Today, the last day of training, the chef lady made us have a meeting. And I was super worried that we were all in trouble (because she's kind of scary (and also because I'm kind of just always worried about getting in trouble even if I've literally done nothing wrong, but that's another story)), but it turns out she just wanted to tell us how proud of us she was/is and how much she appreciated our help with all the new people coming in and how great the night went and how great we are in general and then she started crying and it was emotional and SQUEEGEE SQUEEGEE SQUEEGEE

Okay. I'm better now. For now. Tomorrow I have exactly one class, and also I get to work for real. With real workers, and I hope it goes super well. It'll be great. I have yet to successfully change a milk bag by myself, but there's plenty of time for improvement I hope. I just don't want to die. It'll be fine. Yeah. Fine. It's great. We won't die, me and my student workers. No dying allowed. That's my motto for life.

Get it? Cause life is the opposite of death? Ha. Ha. Okay. I should go to bed before I actually have an emotional breakdown. Yeah. Good luck on your classes and lives guys! Tell me about things that you like!