People Share Their Most Memorable 'First Day On The Job' Experiences

Image by Lukas Bieri from Pixabay |
I once was a restaurant worker and though the money was good, that period was definitely one of the more stressful ones of my entire life. I will never forget going to work at one restaurant... getting caught in traffic and arriving 45 minutes late (and then thinking I would be fired on day one), only to be thrown into a busy late shift with six tables at once. I wasn't even fully versed on the menu yet! Somehow I survived.
After Redditor JPetty97 asked the online community, "What is your worst or most memorable 'first day on the job' story?" people shared their stories and we have to say... we don't envy some of them.
"It wasn't a big learning curve..."
Most memorable: Interviewed at Subway for a summer job. Manager shook my hand, handed me an apron, and put me on the line because a regional school board convention was happening at the nearby high school. I was allowed to wear shorts as a one-time dress code exception that day as there was no time to go home and change. I at least got a shirt from the back room.
It wasn't a big learning curve because I ate at the Subway on campus so much that I already had most sandwiches memorized. We had a line out the door for hours. The manager was so grateful that I was allowed to make as many sandwiches as I could carry to take home for family dinner.
"Thankfully it was just a summer job..."
Got hired on Friday... showed up on Monday and the place was literally out of business and the building boarded up.
Thankfully it was just a summer job, but it was pretty confusing, to say the least.
"That was the day I decided..."
I went in to ask my former boss something about how he prefers client correspondence to be addressed. He starts telling me what to do. I pull out a pen and paper to take notes. He tilts his head to the side, looks at me, and condescendingly says, "if you need to take notes for this, we need to get you professional help."
That was the day I decided I wasn't going to last there for much longer. I ended up quitting a month thereafter.
"When I started my first internship..."
When I started my first internship I went to lunch with some women from my team. At lunch we found out that someone's mom passed away and here I was, a new intern, sitting at a table with four grown women that were all crying.
"I work at a hotel..."
Where I work now. I work at a hotel, been there over a dozen years. My very first day, my very first check out I remember this well: the gentleman's total was $800. I ran his card for $8,000. So the first thing I learned how to do wasn't a check-out, it was a refund (for $7200). I did wonder my first few days if I was cut out for this place, but a dozen years later here I am as night manager.
"My first ever job..."
So this was stupidly awkward of me. My first ever job was at a Safeway grocery store as a courtesy clerk. The store grunt basically. Showed up in the morning for the shift, it was quiet with nothing really going on. They told me to just man the bagging for awhile.
I somehow misheard that and thought they were telling me to go home. Don't know why that made sense to me, but it just did. So I left. About an hour later I got a call asking where I was. There was no harm done, but I got made fun of for awhile after that. Very embarrassing...
"He was deceased..."
First day was Thanksgiving. First call of the day (or first call ever for me) was an 18-year-old cardiac arrest. He was deceased for several hours. Parents did not want to believe so. Completely lost their minds. Blamed us for his death. Dad swept the entire Thanksgiving table set up on the floor with one huge arm sweep. Dishes and glasses flying and crashing everywhere.
"I began working at a supermarket..."
I began working at a supermarket in the bakery department. The majority of people I was working with were females a year or two older than me. Wanting to fit in, I wanted to say something funny and crude to join in their comments so far. So I decide to say "I may be vegetarian, but I still eat d***." Safe to say, that got me in their funny books.
It's been 4 years since I left that job to go to uni, and I still keep in contact with them.
"Spilled orange juice..."
Spilled orange juice all over an unpleasant woman on my first day as a flight attendant.
"Another guy and I..."
Another guy and I had the same start date. We arrived in the lobby, and while I checked in with the desk, sat down and waited to be taken back into the office area, the other guy went on back on his own (unescorted) and started to chat up the staff.
When the boss arrived, he took us both into the conference room and delivered the most red-faced, Tony Soprano @ss-reaming to the other guy that you can imagine, while I looked on. I spent six years there. The other guy, six months.
"Mouse Whisperer"
While I was waiting for my HOD on my first day in a new school, alone in the staff room, a mouse came out from under a shelf. It seemed to be looking for a way out, so I grabbed a mug and caught the poor thing to take it outside. The HOD came in while I was trying to calm the mouse down and that's how the department came to know me as the Mouse Whisperer.
ETA Definitely most memorable, not worst.
"But the first day was really awkward"
I was a maintenance supervisor at a hospital. And when they sold the hospital I did not like the new owner company and was sniffing around for a new job. One day I get a call from a big church and conference center and they are looking for a maintenance supervisor and said my name had come up as a possible candidate, so i meet for a lunch interview with the guy that does their hiring and firing.
We chit chat for about an hour and then he says "ok I appreciate you time , I gotta get back for a meeting " I'm thinking this didn't go well because he didn't ask anything about my background or experience and I mentioned that as we were walking out .
He says I'm not concerned about that, I need good attitude and honesty, as you know we are a non profit and exist totally on donations, you gotta be nice to everyone , and if there's something you don't know , we will pay for whatever training you need , and you're working for mr smith at the hospital, and he only hires the best.
So a few days later they offer me the job and I agree to start on a certain date .
So I show up on that date and walk in and tell the receptionist I'm the new maintenance guy and I'm here to see mr Jones .
"He's not here, he's in China for a month, I have all the paperwork for you to fill out"
So I do that and then ask : " uh, wheres the maintenance office ?"
"Oh there's not one, he's said you'd need to find some place to use as an office" "And you would need to buy some tools"
So she calls the two custodians to the office and I have to introduce myself to them as their new boss and neither one speaks English except a few words.
And then I have to wander around and find a big closet to turn into my office and then go buy some basic tools to fix the doors that won't close and to troubleshoot the Air conditioners that don't work etc .
I wound up working there nine years , but the first day was really awkward.
"Horror flick"
I once ended up on what turned out to be an accident plagued set of a horror flick. "The Room" Tommy Wiseau level bad leadership meets Final Destination style injuries everywhere. Everyone's day was bad and one guy almost lost his balls.
"Left me alone"
I taught horse lessons. When I arrived the barn the owner showed me around and asked about my experience for all of 5 minutes. Then she introduced me to two people on horseback, said have a nice lesson, and left me alone with them in the arena. It went okay, but it was just the first indicator of shoddy management and I only stuck around a few more months.
"Elementary Level Math"
Mine is a little different. I worked at a burger place in a mall food court all throughout high school and in to college. I quit after 4 years and came back the year after to help during the holidays. My first day back, I was on the register helping a customer. I wasn't familiar with it yet because they had upgraded from the ancient ones they'd had when I worked there before, so I looked at the wrong amount to give him change back.
I noticed before I finished giving it to him and apologized. I said I had accidentally told him the subtotal instead of what it was with tax. He asked me how I could make such a stupid mistake, and proceeded to yell at me, telling me that it was "Elementary Level" math, and I shouldn't have told him the wrong total. Called me stupid a couple more times, then left.
"Suddenly this alarm goes off"
This isnt mine, but a friends and I was there during the whole thing.
So a friend of mine had gotten hired on at my work, and I was set to train him on his second day. I clock in and he shows up about an hour later, business as usual. I feel like I need to say here that we work in foodservice. So, around 5 pm, we get a really bad rush when people want their dinners. So, him and I are cooking and suddenly this alarm goes off in the back. It's loud and piercing. No one there knew what to do.
So, our manager walked into the back and shut it off. 2 minutes later, it's back. Manager goes back again to shut it off. We continue like this for about half an hour. Mind you, we were extremely busy at this time. Well, lo and behold, after 30 minutes of fighting the alarm to shut up, the fire department shows up. I saw one of them walk into the back with a detector and next thing we know, our manager is telling us to shut everything off and is ushering us all out the door.
As it turns out, one of the cookers we had in the back was having a carbon monoxide leak, and that's what the alarm was for. We basically got told to wait two hours for the air to clear out, then go in and quickly close then hurry out.
And yes. There were Karens who still demanded us to make their food
"One of the most memorable"
One of the most memorable... probably in my first job in retail for a grocery store. My department manager in the meat department was showing me around the store. We saw the assistant store manager and he said to my manager "she's not going to last" and chuckles. My manager told him don't say that, laughed it off, and continued to show me the recycling compactor.
We went to cooler (like a giant walk in refrigerator) in my department.
He lifted a half-filled box of raw meat and put it on the ground. Told me to try lifting it. The astonishment on his face when I lifted it up and put it back down. Then he told me to put it back on the shelf. I did so, and his astonished reaction again. He seemed to have high hopes for me after I showed him what I could do. He continues to show me around but I definitely proved those guys wrong especially that rude comment the assistant store manager said on my first day, I was there for 1.5y before I moved to another job. The store manager, my dept colleagues and most of the front end all loved me. Never underestimate people. Most my colleagues in all my workplaces still underestimate what I can do all the time, I am use to it.
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Are we being lazy or is it self-care?
That is what you should ask yourself first, before you judge.
Life is an arduous journey and a constant energy suck.
It was inevitable we'd find shortcuts to get by.
It's all about survival.
Redditor Batman_In_Peacetime wanted to hear about the times we just didn't care enough to try harder. They asked:
"What is a lazy thing you began doing when you realised you can live with it?"
I'm best when I'm at my laziest. Ok, that's a lie, but I don't care.
Zzzz...
"On weekends I sleep for 12-14 hours. I usually wake up a few times but I dream so much during those long sleeps that it’s basically become a recreation type thing and I love it."
HouseOfZenith
Warm it up...
"When I use the microwave, I’ll heat food for 1:11 or 2:22 because I can’t be bothered to move my lazy fingers."
fysicks
"I figured out that my microwave's turntable rotates once every 12 seconds. So, everything I cook is on a multiple of 12 seconds so that it always ends up at the front of the microwave when it's done cooking, and I don't have to reach all the way to the back of the microwave to get my food out."
unittwentyfive
Bang
"When I was a kid on a school day, I had this routine where I'd stick my legs out of the bed and bang around on the floor so it sounded like I got out of bed and then just lie there for a few more minutes."
bewarethechameleon
"Did you also get your toothbrush wet and squirt a wee bit of toothpaste in your mouth rather than actually brush your teeth? If so I may be your mom and you weren’t fooling me or the dentist and you sure weren’t fooling the plaque that attacked."
TigerLily98226
Pockets
"Whenever I clean the house I put on my housecoat with really big pockets. I just walk from room to room and put things in my pocket that don’t belong in that room. Once my pockets are full I go to each room and empty my pockets putting what is from each room in that room."
kindhearttbc
"That's not lazy... that's productive AF."
throwaway92715
Toss It
"I don’t fold the fitted sheet. Just ball it up and place it in the closet."
SpaghettiSquash33
I just see people human. Don't he so hard on yourselves.
12 Hours
"I once watched 12 hours of the golf Network because the batteries were dead in my remote control. I don't know if that's lazy or depressed."
sadbirdfox
I swear I was...
"I was taught to make a bed properly as a child, I swear I was. Hospital corners and everything. I even know how to fold a fitted sheet, thanks to my auntie, who's an Air Force nurse and therefore doesn't consider little problems like 'non-Euclidean geometry' to be a reason not to do it properly. The second I found out about duvet covers, that was over. Sure, it doesn't look as tidy, but five minutes a week plus 10 seconds in the morning instead of 10 minutes a day? I can live with that."
katie-kaboom
The System
"I don't fold laundry anymore. I have a system of laundry baskets like this where clothes gets sorted by type (pants, t-shirts, sweaters, etc). Most of my clothes is wrinkle free, and for the few pieces that aren't I just throw them on a hanger in the bathroom while I take a steamy shower."
User deleted
Genius!!
"Before I get out of bed in the morning, I will grab the top corners of my sheets with my hands and prop up the bottom two with my feet and move it into place. Then I slide out of bed without ruffling anything. Just like that, my bed is made."
Markymark142
"My sister has to do this before she goes to bed at night, even is she made the bed that morning. It's an odd little quirk and mostly harmless."
mel2mdl
Yummy
"Just eating food straight out of the pan."
refrshmts_N_narcotcs
None of that sounds so bad. That sounds... like my life. Don't judge!!
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Be it on a blind date, at a party where you don't know anyone, or sitting next to someone on an airplane, starting a conversation with a total stranger is difficult.
As much as we'd all like to be friendly, far too often we find ourselves at a loss for words.
It doesn't help that we generally have no idea of what these people's various interests are, making it anyone's guess how they'll respond.
But some have this problem solved, finding a go-to topic which is always guaranteed to get a response, no matter who you're talking to.
Redditor Blugged_Bunny was curious to hear what people thought was the best way to begin a conversation with strangers, leading them to ask:
"What is your go-to 'small talk' topic with strangers?"
Did you check the forecast?
"We sure are having a lot of weather"- r_Ju_Tacular.
"As a British person, the conversation usually starts like this:"
“'You alright?'"
”Yeah you?”'
“'Yeah not too bad, weathers a bit sh*t innit?'”
“'Yeah”'.
"The end."- chelstippins
Why beat around the bush?
"Straight to politics and religion."- Turd_Ferguson009.
Just let it happen.
"Make an observation."
"Literally anything."It helps if it’s something about them like an article of clothing that catches your eye, something they’re doing, anything that you can relate to or are interested in but it doesn’t have to be."
"It can be something in the environment that is drawing both of your attention."
"People bullsh*t about the weather all the time."
"Make a comment about it, gauge their willingness to talk about it to you and build off of what you get from the response."
"If all you get is 'haha yeah', leave it."
"No shame in silence."
"Some people just don’t want to talk."
I"f you’re talking about the weather, 'Man it’s a great day out today!'"
“'Yeah absolutely! I drove here with my windows down all the way here!'”
"Boom, you’ve got something to latch onto."
"They probably enjoy getting outside for some fresh air. "
"They probably enjoy driving."
"Ask about their car."
"Ask if they go on drives a lot."
"Ask if they do outdoor stuff."
"What kind of outdoor stuff?"
"Once you’ve got something to work with, the key is to ask."
"Let them do the talking."
"People love talking about themselves."
"You learn some light hearted things about the stranger, they feel more comfortable, and you can add bits and bobs of your own experiences in response so they get to know you too."
"It works in literally any situation."
"From an elevator ride to a first date."
"It’s so easy to personalize small talk and it makes it so much less uncomfortable."- 1arrocknroll.
"But enough about me, what do you think about me?"
"Usually people love to talk about themselves, so a few questions about them and some follow up questions to their answers usually does it."- I_can_see_the_music.
"Food, glorious food..."
"Food."
"People typically love food."
"I mention I’m new/newer to an area."
"And ask them what they like, where they eat out."
"Usually works and people have their choices validated and I always know where to find good local snacks."- TheProfWife.
Can you believe it?
"Did you see that ludicrous display last night?"- housemuncher.
Nothing!
"As a Norwegian - we leave strangers alone."
"No need to bother them."- neihuffda.
The sky's the limit.
"So, do you like stuff?"- Bwon669.
All of these seem like surefire ways to get a conversation started.
But use cautiously, as who knows how long it will take these conversations to end.
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Quality comes with price. That's a fact you can't escape. If you hire someone to fix your home, and want them to do the best job, you're going to have to pay above average prices. That's fine. Pay the people what they're worth for the great job they did. However, we live in a world where everyone is looking for their payout, even if what they've given you is less than ideal.
Don't overpay for any of these.
Reddit user, DrLizardLover, wanted to know what we're paying too much for when they asked:
"What is just stupidly overpriced?"
If you didn't know any better, you would think making office and school supplies was a lot like mining for diamonds in the center of the Earth.
Though, we also know diamonds are a rip-off so maybe that's not the argument we should be making.
Another Collegiate Payment
"College books"
Spooly_Boy
"Especially when they say you have to buy the newest copy every year"
disantiyesnt
Good Thing We're Going Paperless
"Printer cartridges."
DataPlenty
"Apparently it's because in order to make printers affordable to everyone, you must lower their prices. The cartridges are the upsell and is where the profit comes from."
AltaSavoia
We Carry Them Around On Our Phones
"TI-84"
"I could get an old cell phone from a dumpster that’s 10x as powerful. Why the f-ck they still charging $80 or more for these things?"
edgeblackbelt
If living in 2022 has taught us anything, it's that convenience has a price.
And it's high.
$50 For Twizzlers
"Foods and drinks at movie theaters or sporting events"
Icy-Company7718
"I can answer for the theaters. They don't actually get much, if any, of the ticket sales. A lot of their operating budget comes from the snack bar."
Head_Razzmatazz7174
Fees On Hidden Fees For Hidden Fees
"Concert tickets"
"(AKA Ticketmaster)"
Catilily_3141
"I thought I was on the school box office site when I was on one made to look like it. I bought two reasonably priced ncaa basketball tickets and when I went to check out it went up to $70 with fees. Found the school website and checked out for $26 total."
blackcatmystery
Costs A Lot To Be A Woman
"One bra is like…40 dollars"
Noliel_Laicaster
"except i have big honkers so i'm forced to pay upwards of $80 for a bra because the only place I can get them in my size is Lane Bryant or Torrid"
kelsiewest11
"Just women's clothes in general. If I'm paying $40 for a pair of dress slacks, they damn well better have pockets. I have to have black slacks for my delivery job and ended up buying 3 pair of men's pants for $20 each, just to have the pockets."
Head_Razzmatazz7174
What can hurt the most is the idea companies and people will charge you for things you need to have. It's almost as if they know you're willing to pay the price...
Awful.
History Has Funny Way Of Changing Perspectives
"Lobster. Was literally considered food for the peasants at one point in history. They used lobsters as bait on ships"
magoted
The Most Expensive Day Of Your Life
"Anything tied to a wedding"
nickp123456
"Friend of mine needed a generator for a wedding. He booked it as a "corporate event" to get cheaper hire."
"When the company arrived to setup and saw it was a wedding they demanded extra money, because it was a wedding. Same location, same generator, same rental period."
salmonlikethephish
Sipping The Last Bits Of Money Out Of The Dead
"Funerals"
Longjumping-Oil4497
"I definitely think that add-ons for funerals are sold like biggie sizing your happy meal. And the concept of memorializing a person for eternity has been sold as bare necessity. But I do know that the pomp and circumstance a lot of people need to lay somebody to rest, costs money."
"I want to see people honored in their death, but spending $5,000 on a pine box does not make sense to me"
444unsure
People Need Help? Charge Them.
"Mental health services. Blessings upon blessings to the mental health professionals who offer sliding scales."
AphelionEntity
America Gonna 'Murica
"Getting an IUD put in or taken out without insurance costs 1300. Takes 5 minutes to put in and it’s a piece of plastic."
m_hahn_solo
"Wow thats so much. I'm in Canada so having it inserted, removed, and follow up appointments are free. But I had to pay for the IUD. The first time I used the insurance from college so only paid $30. The second time I graduated and didn't have insurance so I went to planned parenthood where its cheaper and paid 230. The third time I had insurance from work and it was free. Honestly all birth control should be free."
Forever-25
Keep an eye on your wallet, since you know most of the world is keeping theirs firmly on it.
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Not everyone is going to believe what you believe. Our own experiences and values add up to make us who we are. Without them, we'd all be the same amorphous blob of consciousness covering the planet in bland beliefs. You hold something in high regard, and that might mean someone else disagrees with you.
Hold your ground, and be ready to die on that hill, kind of like these people.
Reddit user, realduckbutter, wanted to know what you will never let go of when they asked:
"What’s the smallest hill you’re willing to die on?"
What is it about this hill that makes it worthwhile to fight over? Is it something ingrained in your core or something that you can never let go?
This Is Good, Great, And Dandy
"Oxford commas are GOOD and should be EMPLOYED LIBERALLY."
CopsaLau
"I agree with this, I agree with this, and I agree with this."
ajt9104_
Squats All Day
"Nice butts are better than big butts."
Crockpot_gator_Snot
"Shape > Size"
"on that note, 99.9% of of people don’t give a damn about color imperfections or stretch marks. It’s completely irrelevant. The shape is what makes a nice butt."
"Edit: I admit that my statistic it totally made up. I made to say that MOST people don’t care."
bouchandre
Doesn't Hold Up
"KFC gravy isn't as good as it used to be."
AshySlashy902
"KFC isn't as good as it used to be. The biscuits are so hit or miss now."
SuperstitiousPigeon5
Me Am No Good With Words And Things
"It's "I couldn't care less," not "I could care less." If you could care less, you care a little!"
thedoginapound
"That’s what I’m saying!!! People make no sense sometimes"
Rebelsinblacktattoo
The workplace is somewhere you (possibly) go to every day. If there's something about it you like or don't like, don't let it go.
Proper Bathroom Ambience
"Bathrooms at the work place should all be required to play music to help drown out the sounds being made"
zerorush8
"THANK YOU. I’ve thought this for years. Just some simple elevator music. Anything."
"I’d rather hear 10 hours of Yiruma’s River Flows In You than 10 seconds of whatever is flowing out of the poor guy next to me."
jaylward
Better Be Some Money That Comes With That Title
"Don’t give me a “promotion” unless it comes with a pay raise. The only reason I would want a promotion is because I get paid more, not so I can flex my title on ppl"
traws06
"Flex that title into a raise somewhere else"
meanie_ants
So Grateful
"All companies regardless of what industry they're in do their best work and are the most consumer friendly when they're in second or third place in their industry. The 'leader' is almost never the best option."
Nayko214
"The best service and the most exciting food is at two star Michelin restaurants because they’re playing offense not defense."
gastro_gnome
"Cashiers should be allowed to sit down during their shifts, ex. Aldi. There should be no reason why they need to keep standing in place for an entire shift"
kdotismydad
"This is so f-cking American. I've never in my European life seen a cashier standing up."
PercussiveRussel
Whatever it is about these hills we're all supposedly dying, you cannot deny the fact it's super fascinating to see bodies dropping on them.
Do Any Of Us Know What We're Eating?
"When people say “it has chemicals in it”. Your mom is chemicals. Everything is chemicals."
nosmase2
"The whole "don't put it in your body if you can't pronounce it" nonsense is infuriating. An apple has things in it most people couldn't pronounce if you wrote out the chemical composition. And does my having taken organic chem and biochem classes mean I can eat things others can't?"
"Don't even get me started on the anti-GMO crap."
dude_logman
Diamond Eyeglasses? Diamond Cups? Why Stop There?
"Lab grown diamonds are real diamonds. Chemically. It’s purely marketing that makes you pay more for mined diamonds."
ScoobyTrue
"I believe you may be wrong. They are purer than mined diamonds."
"I'm looking forward to windshields made out of diamond."
ScottColvin
*tap, *tap, *tap
"Mobile gaming is better when it's simple games like Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja"
ofsquire
"Yeah I thought I wanted big impressive games on my phone but then I realized there’s no point. I’m never going to play on my phone over a console"
realduckbutter
Holding Up The Line With Your Niceness
"Pay-it-forward drive-through chains are pointless. They aren’t really helping anyone, they’re just making everything awkward."
lassie86
"Im a starbucks barista and like its a nice thing dont get me wrong, but the way our systems work things get confusing and orders or items get lost so people end up getting free but wrong orders :( it also puts the customer on the spot to make a decision to continue or not and i hate that it's so awkward. I always just say hey your order has been paid for have a great day!"
imasokas2percentmilk
It Hurts So Good
"If Q-Tips were not meant to go deep in your ear canal, then God would not have put the g-spot in there"
Virtual-Stranger
Meet lots of people, develop a set of values, then enact those values upon yourself as you engage with the world. Be the person you want to be.
Tell us how you won't let anything go in the comments below.
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