hey ma, im 16 and recently got my first job at mcdonald's. id always said that i didn't want to work in fast food because the thought of it has always stressed me out but after months of searching, i had no other choice with my family pressuring me to "grow up and get a job".
so i got the job at mcdonald's and immediately after my first shift, i HATED it. more than i've ever hated anything, and the worst part is i don't even know why. it frustrates me that i can't put my finger on why the thought of it makes me so anxious or why i cry before every shift. i also usually only have like a 5hr shift once a week which is another thing that frustrates me because it sounds like nothing and it makes be feel so stupid for being so dramatic and not being able to handle such a small thing.
i haven't been diagnosed or anything, but im certain i have bad anxiety which i think is a big factor, im always worried about people laughing at me behind my back if i do something wrong or in a weird way. i always worry myself at work that my managers hate be because i can be slow sometimes or people make fun of me because i dont have any friends there, i guess its the small things like that which make me dread it so much.
anyways, i think i just need a little reassurance :(
Take a deep breath. You are probably doing better than you think. Let me fill you in on a secret, nobody else cares as much as you when you make a mistake. Kids that are talking about you behind your back are not worth your time. Think of the good things you have accomplished and how you went out there and got a job. Way to go! You will look back and be proud. Keep looking for a different job if you want too. You won’t work at McDonald’s forever!
This, OP. No one is spending time picking apart your life, what you do, where you work and how you do it because they are too busy worrying about their own life! Take a typical day in your life, how much of your free time do you spend taking other peoples inventory and judging them vs how much time you are thinking about decisions you made, things you did, things you need to do, your life in general. If I could tell my younger self anything, it would be to not worry about everyone else, they dont care, they are just trying to get through the day themselves having all the same worries and fears that Im having.
If you feel like your regular life is being interfered with worry about what other people think or other anxious thoughts, you can check in with your parents or the school counselor or a teacher that you trust. They can give you tools that can help calm your mind down so you can think about something else. The goal is to not have thoughts override what you want to do on any given day. So not perfection, just living life.
You’ve got this. And you are in good company, many entrepreneurs and successful, happy people started their work careers at fast food. Its a stepping stone in life, almost like crawling before walking before running. Most peoples first jobs are babysitting or fast food. Those managers that you feel like want you to go faster deal with young people learning their first job ALL THE TIME. They know as you work more you will get more practice and become more proficient and as managers. Take a deep breath, hold it in, blow it and tackle your next task. I believe in you!
Anxiety sucks. Fast food is a hard job. Facts. Sometimes it’s easier to get a job when you have one. Try looking for another job, one that won’t stress you out as much, even if it’s in fast food. Some are harder than others. Look at your local school district. They often have after school jobs for 16 year olds helping with janitorial work. Mostly vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms. But without the stress of the public. Good luck to you. You can do this.
I know you won’t believe me but I can absolutely assure you, nobody is having bad thoughts about you. If they were, they would tell you. If they aren’t telling you, they aren’t having thoughts or their thoughts aren’t serious enough for you to concern yourself with them.
Dealing with the public can be so stressful. But man, it can be such a good learning experience. Like, what you are learning now will totally serve you well throughout your life. I know it doesn’t seem like it but I promise it will get better. This is your first job. There’s no way on god’s green earth you could possibly do everything exactly correct right from the beginning. Give yourself grace.
Also, you’re allowed to be kind to yourself. You’re allowed to pat yourself on the back when you survive a shitty shift. You’re allowed to take pride in small accomplishments. Don’t put yourself down!
You are overwhelmed! That’s normal with any first day anywhere. You will adjust and it will be a piece of cake. My kids worked at chick fil an and my son was broken after his first couple shifts 😝 he was destroyed by being the guy who puts the sauces in the bags. A few shifts later it was fine. I’m talking a 15 yr old kid in tears over the stress of getting orders right here, not just someone who hated having to work.
it’s new and new sucks but you can do this!
I recommend trying to find a job as a host/hostess at a restaurant. It has great growth potential to serving which can be a real career and flexible if you're moving on to college in a couple of years. Echoing the idea that it's much easier to find a job when you have a job, showing some training and experience.
Getting to the bottom of your anxiety and addressing that will only help everything and is really worth it. It's eye opening how a few months of therapy or the right medicine changes everything, once you get the right balance of one or both.
Hi sweetie, I’m wondering if you could speak to a doctor or school counsellor about anxiety. There are ways to manage and treat it so it doesn’t take over. Nobody loves working in fast food, but your very strong negative feelings suggest that something else is going on, that may not actually have much to do with the job. I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this, and I really hope you can find a trusted person to talk to. ❤️
Hey. Do u play any sports or really like any? If you do, you could look into being a ref/umpire. My kids where into soccer so when they got old enough they took the training and became refs. Cool money, and in something they like. Better then flipping burgers. And in many cases, more flexibility for students. I have one that softball player and has consider being an umpire.
Also give yourself a break, you are in a new environment and learning, it can be overwhelming. They understand you are learning and new. Just take 1 task at a time. Do your best, understand you WILL MAKE MISTAKES, what you do after you make a mistake is what matters. If you mess up, ask for a review of the correct way and try again.
What’s great about trying something new is the feeling of mastery that you get when you conquer it. K is p up the good work!
Take it easy on yourself - it’s not you. My first real job was also in food service, and it made me never want to work in food ever in my life, and I stuck with that. This is how you learn. You’ll be learning your whole life, and keep doing what you’re doing - follow your gut feeling and don’t be hard on yourself.