Personal Narrative
Student Name
Westrick
English Comp. II
10 September 2017
Westrick
English Comp. II
10 September 2017
Leaving the Family Business
For years I planned on one day working at the local ice cream shop. My sister and my cousins have all worked there and we consider it our family business. When I turned sixteen, I was finally old enough to work there. The job required me to constantly interact with difficult and demanding customers for up to six hours at a time, which was extremely draining for an introvert like myself. I realize scooping ice cream for people might seem like a relatively easy job, but it was anything but that during those hectic weekend nights with lines to the street and dozens of eyes waiting for me to mess up their order. I was not only stressed about the job itself but also about the time it took away from my schoolwork, which was my primary focus. Quitting this job would alleviate my stress and allow me to find a better job for me, as well as strengthen my relationship with my family.
I worked there for six months, believing that I would endure the stress because I liked earning money. However, by the time my junior year of high school had started, I began to worry about juggling both work and school at such a crucial point in my high school career. One early August night, two of my coworkers and I gathered in the back of the shop to mingle as we waited for customers to arrive. We found ourselves ranting about our job. It was difficult to name aspects about it that we liked. I concluded that it was unnecessary to continue working there if it was such a major source of stress for me. There are other less stressful ways to earn money and a retail job was not the right fit for me, even if it had been for my other family members. I quit my job within the next week. As soon as I turned in my two weeks notice, I felt my shoulders fall, free of the negativity this job brought. While I valued the work experience, I knew there were other jobs that were better suited for me. My last shift was my favorite shift. I found myself much happier and equipped to handle the upcoming school year.
After quitting my job, I worried about how my family would respond. To my surprise, they were supportive and were more concerned with my happiness than continuing the family tradition of working at the ice cream shop. This strengthened our relationship and opened doors for other opportunities.
I was able to find another job that was much more suitable for me- an internship at an audiology office. I no longer dreaded going to work and I was much more content with this job. I’m glad I took the risk of quitting in order to find it. I still visit my cousins at the ice cream shop almost every week and I’m reminded of a previous era. My decision to quit has enabled me to focus on my schoolwork and pursue a more rewarding job.
I worked there for six months, believing that I would endure the stress because I liked earning money. However, by the time my junior year of high school had started, I began to worry about juggling both work and school at such a crucial point in my high school career. One early August night, two of my coworkers and I gathered in the back of the shop to mingle as we waited for customers to arrive. We found ourselves ranting about our job. It was difficult to name aspects about it that we liked. I concluded that it was unnecessary to continue working there if it was such a major source of stress for me. There are other less stressful ways to earn money and a retail job was not the right fit for me, even if it had been for my other family members. I quit my job within the next week. As soon as I turned in my two weeks notice, I felt my shoulders fall, free of the negativity this job brought. While I valued the work experience, I knew there were other jobs that were better suited for me. My last shift was my favorite shift. I found myself much happier and equipped to handle the upcoming school year.
After quitting my job, I worried about how my family would respond. To my surprise, they were supportive and were more concerned with my happiness than continuing the family tradition of working at the ice cream shop. This strengthened our relationship and opened doors for other opportunities.
I was able to find another job that was much more suitable for me- an internship at an audiology office. I no longer dreaded going to work and I was much more content with this job. I’m glad I took the risk of quitting in order to find it. I still visit my cousins at the ice cream shop almost every week and I’m reminded of a previous era. My decision to quit has enabled me to focus on my schoolwork and pursue a more rewarding job.