I had my first job at about 9 years old----it was a job of necessity, but not because I needed money. I only had one craft that I thoroughly enjoyed---making potholders on a loom with pre-made loops. I loved making them and creating new designs, new color combinations, but I had given them to all the grandparents, aunts and my mom, but I still had a surplus. So Mom suggested I try selling them door-to-door. It was not a successful business: I don't think I sold many. My ego was shattered that strangers were not interested in all of my beautiful potholders. But, I must have sold enough to try a different door-to-door job next.
My next job at about 10 was selling Christmas cards door to door. I had samples that they could choose from and I would order them. I had a sample case and looked very professional opening the case with all of the samples. I learned to compliment them on their choices, suggest a font, shake hands and wait until I could deliver them. I felt so grown up. That was easier to do because it wasn't my creations that people were turning down, but someone else's Christmas cards. But, that was a pretty seasonal job.
Also at 10, I had something else to keep me busy---my baby brother Jim. I mothered him, entertained him, played with him. That lead to my next job: babysitter. My first job at about 11 or 12 was my cousin Cheryl. My aunt and uncle were playing cards at a neighbor's house, but they were comfortable with me watching Cheryl because I had experience with Jim. I babysat off and on even through college. My college babysitting jobs were more challenging---babysitting strangers' children in hotels and motels. Because of my life guard training, I could safely take their kids to the unguarded pool. But the hotel rooms were pretty confining after swimming and when the kids went to sleep, the lights and tv were off. Before cell phones, I was left with nothing to do but curl up in a hotel chair until the parents got back.
My first job with taxes being taken out began at 15 and ended at 20: lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons at our private swim club. It was a great job. In addition to my family being members, many principals of the schools and players on the Cardinal baseball team belonged. My bosses were often coaches from my high school. I worked with a lot of fun people from my high school and a neighboring one. But it was grueling on hot, crowded days. When we were off the stands, our job also included, checking people in, checking their clothes in with giant mesh bags, cleaning the restrooms and the snack area. Other than the fun people I worked with, I loved swimming after hours when the pool had closed having it all to ourselves. But it was a boring job most of the time, with too much cleaning. However, sitting all day observing people, I did became an expert at relationships, body language and getting to understand people which was a great asset for me as a teacher later on.
I didn't work a job during the school year in high school because I had too many activities. But when I went away to college, I decided to try a few jobs on campus: tutoring, food service and mail distribution. Tutoring was probably my least favorite because I never felt like I really helped them much. To get a B.A. degree some students had to have foreign language to graduate. Some of those poor people had a very difficult time learning a foreign language in college. I would work with them, they knew the material, but somehow they would fail the tests. I finally suggested to one student that he have a good stiff drink before testing to to relax him. .. .that didn't work either. When they failed, I failed.
I had two jobs in food service: working on the food line of a dining room and managing a snack bar. Working on the food line was humbling. First, we had to wear aprons and hair nets--such a nerdy look ---not the image I wanted in Greek Housing (fraternities and sororities all ate at the same dining room). Second, despite the apron, I ruined my clothes hauling large vats of food to the line. The worst was a giant vat of tomato soup that I jiggled too much resulting in it splashing me so badly, that I had to go home and change clothes. I'd ruined my nicest sweater. The only benefits to the job were socializing with friends who came through the line and the paycheck.
When the job (still in Greek Housing) of managing the snack bar came up, I jumped on the opportunity to get off the food line. There were several advantages: it wasn't ever terribly busy and friends could drop by. Also, there was a juke box with popular music that made the hours go by quickly. I had to prepare some food like hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, but mostly I was selling bags of snacks and getting soft drinks. I had to clean the place up when we closed which was probably the only negative about the job.
But my favorite job was "mail clerk". The building that had the snack bar and dining room, also had the mail room. It served eight dormitories of Independents and Greeks. It had mail slots on 3 sides with a door for me to enter on the 4th side. I'd take the bags of mail and put them in the mail box slots in my own little room. I felt like I was spreading joy each time I put a letter or post card in someone's mailbox. I looked forward to the happy faces. What I hadn't counted on were the sad faces when someone had no mail. This was during Viet Nam. Many had brothers, friends, boy friends who were overseas. When they didn't get a letter, they often thought the worst. And, then there were the ones who had a boyfriend or girlfriend at home that no one knew about but the mail clerk. They'd be out dating, partying, enjoying the single life when the mail clerk knew. .. .. .
The most fun college job was "Go-go" dancing. Several of us started out dancing for a Casino night our sorority hosted. We made very short red dresses with black fringe. With our white go-go boots we danced in cages around the "casino". It was so popular, we were called on to re-create those dances for several events in the community for which we were paid. I loved grinning and telling people I'd become a professional dancer!
As a teenager, a job's a job---it's not usually part of your life time goals. It's great when you can find something you enjoy doing and get paid to do it. But, that's not usually the case. I enjoyed making pot holders and would probably still be here with my little loom, if I thought they were marketable. So finding joy in a job that pays is gold but that's not usually a teenager's life. On down the road when you are in a job that's your career, you'll look back on those teenage jobs and think, "I'm having a bad day but it's not nearly as bad as cleaning up vomit on the pool deck". And, sometimes, like one of Leah's friends, you discover that mowing lawns is what you enjoy and you form a successful landscaping company.
