Good, Bad, and a Little Bit Funny

Starting a new job always comes with a mix of excitement and stress. I’ve been settling into mine, and like any new role, there are good moments, bad moments, and downright funny ones.

I like to call Michael during my breaks—sometimes to vent, sometimes just to breathe and check in. Today, I was feeling a little frustrated. A customer called in upset because they couldn’t place an order online. I tried to help and agreed to pull the item for them, thinking I was doing the right thing. Later, my coworker told me I shouldn’t have done that because we “don’t want to cause entitlement for customers.”

So, I aired out my frustration to Michael. He listened patiently, let me know he understood why I was upset, and then—out of nowhere—he said:

“You’re Black, beautiful, and feminine—you got this!”

He’s sweet. He’s making an effort and that counts. It was the perfect end to our pep talk and it felt right. I needed that reminder because this transition hasn’t been easy, but moments like that give me the strength to keep pushing forward.

Of course, the funny parts of this job are endless. I work the front desk sometimes, and one of my responsibilities is ringing a bell to call a coworker from the back. I try to time it perfectly so the customer gets their ID back, and just as they’re ready to leave, my coworker magically appears.

Except… sometimes the customer decides to use the ATM last minute, which throws the whole timing off. Suddenly, my coworker is standing there waiting, I’ve rung the bell too early, and I look like the awkward one holding up the line. It’s happened three times in one night before!

Then there are the small victories that make it all worth it. For example, last week, a customer called in asking for a recommendation. I shopped our website for him and told him what we had in stock. He was so pleased and said he’d visit our store. I helped my first customer! Small victories are still victories.

Even with the learning curves, I’m grateful. This job is teaching me patience, adaptability, and resilience. And I finally feel like I’m doing work where I can help people and make a small difference. The annoyances will pass, the timing will get better, and I’ll win over the ones who matter!

Love always.

Xo,

Nina.