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Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts

Sunday, August 7, 2011

My First Job

Despite my previous post, I honestly enjoyed my first job very much, and feel I have gained a lot of experience from it.

I worked at the math and science tutoring center, for my junior college, as a student tutor for basic math (algebra) and chemistry. Being a tutor allows me to interact with a large number of people, and this interaction is what’s so great about being a tutor. You get to think of questions such as: ’How do they learn? Should I try  explaining it a different why for them to better understand?” You learn to mold your teaching style to better suit each individual student. Also, another plus of being a tutor means that you’re constantly engaged to recall and understand the lessons of past courses - meaning that you’re less likely to forget old subject matter!

Additionally, you get to talk with so many different personalities and learn so much from their different perspectives. Although you’re a tutor, it doesn’t mean that you’re the only one teaching. Nope. Engaging with different people gives you the opportunity to learn about others, and even of yourself. You can relate their (academic or not) experiences to your own and vice versa.

Also, not all of the talking is purely academic... gotta take a refresher or break once in a while, right? Sometimes you get to hear about life situations. Some amusing, some typical.

One of the stories I heard quite often from several male students is them mistaken the female restroom as male. Usually, on each floor of the school buildings, there is one female restroom and one male restroom. That is the usual case. However, on the second level of the building of the tutoring center, both restrooms are female. Most know that the one closest to the tutoring center is a females’ restroom already, so they simply assume that the second one further away is males’. If a guy’s not lucky to catch himself, he may just walk into the girl’s restroom unknowningly.

I actually saw this happen once first hand. A guy once walked into the restroom when I was washing my hands at the sink, but he quickly left when he saw a girl inside. He was rather polite though. He barely walked in when he caught sight of me and immediately exclaimed, ”I’m so sorry!” while turning back around. I just said, ”It’s okay,” but I think he didn’t catch it since he left had already left the door. lol, but hey, if you gotta go, you gotta go, right? Who cares if it’s the females or males? The toilet itself is neutral! 

However, I’m still not quite sure how it’s so easy to walk into the other restroom though... the front of the door has a large sign with the female toilet symbol on it. :123: Maybe if you need to go bad enough, you just rush in?

Occasionally, there were times that were saddening. I was especially upset when some students would degrade themselves... They blamed themselves for not knowing or not understanding... That’s not true. Everyone has the potential to learn well, but if not given the proper support, we cannot see that... I can only think, ’What made them think so negatively? Was it parents? Teachers?’ I can’t pry too much, so I always feel uneasy around such students. I only regret not being able to let them see their potential ability, and that is my own fault. I could see that they were indeed trying hard to learn, but my attempt to help was not useful. I feel perhaps, if I were a better communicator or maybe more experienced in my subject... I just wish I could have done something to make them feel better, but unfortunately I am not very good at consoling. Instead, I can only listen, and that is what made me so upset about my students’ frustrations.

Well, fortunately, those situations were not very often. I am glad most students have learned and understood their lessons more clearly by being with me.

Truthfully, the pay isn’t all that great. However, if you’re not too focused on the money, it’s a good job to learn from and easy to enjoy. For gaining a first job experience, I think it’s good to try looking at your school/college for an opportunity - perhaps the bookstore, computer lab, or student learning center/tutoring center. Of course, any job is fine, as long as you gain a lot from it and enjoy being there.

Well, that was my first job experience.


Until next time, bye bye 26
- かほう

Friday, July 29, 2011

Goodbye First Job

Well, I’m now officially jobless. 

The summer semester official ends next week, but I was told by a little white note that yesterday was going to be my last day tutoring at school. It was easy money, but kinda sucks since I was basically cut-off from another week’s pay... it would’ve been an extra $100+ in my next check.

There really were no students coming in for tutoring though. I was pratically getting paid to sit there. I’m just a little bitter since it is only one week left (which I only work 4 days, 16 hours, of), and they didn’t seem to really cut anyone else besides me and another girl. Everyone else apparently gets to stay... everyone who pretty much likes chatting up the tutoring center staff.

So... I’m just wondering if they decided to cut me just because I’m not a suck up like the other workers. Well, sorry for not trying to make convo with you, dear employers, but it’s not like anyone ever tried to initiate conversation with me either! Everytime I was by my lonesome self at my table being foreverlonely, did anyone ever come approach me? Nope. Never. So, why so I be the one to take initiative to talk to anyone myself? Besides... what’s there to really even talk about? Life is boring. 

Don’t think you’re any better because you get a desk and computer. What do you even do at ’work’ anyway? Check out your Facebook? Twitter? Read articles online? From what I saw, only one out of the three staff actually work, the one who does payroll. Truthfully, I don’t really see any reason to have the other two around. Maybe one for the front desk? But they have the student workers doing that for them.Oh well, maybe it’s just a lesson to learn. Be a kiss up to future employers/staff and talk to them even if it’s boring and an extra task. 

Besides that, what really irked me was the note. I was informed about my final day by a single note put into my work folder. Sure, it was obviously written to try not to irritate me, well #FAIL. The words just do not really read sincerely to me. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me? The excuse was due to lack of students coming in and budgeting issues. If that’s so, then why not just cut everybody’s hours short or close the damn place? But whatever. Well, I can see how it’s better than telling me upfront in my face that I’m no longer needed, but the note was just... I don’t know. It was just a little irritating, that is all I can really say about it.

One last thing... what was a little suspicious was that the day before, after work, a co-worker asked if I thought they would really keep everyone until the end. Hmmm? Was it really just coincidence? I mean, really? Ah, I should’ve kept my thoughts hidden, but I answered truthfully. Too truthfully. I said that I felt it was a ”waste of money, but I’m not complaining.” *facepalm*  Given the time of the question, and the lay-off, I’m pretty sure co-worker had an idea of what was going on... This just leads to questions. Was I back-stabbed or just overheard? Answers unknown. Mysterious, mysterious.

Well, plus side is that I get a complete full month of break.
I’m free~


/End angry rant, lol

- Kahou