I worked at Tim Hortons for the summer (in Canmore)
After completing my second year of University, I really wanted to get out of the house. Amidst the COVID19 pandemic, online learning really made me yearn human interaction and consequently, I decided to go to Canmore for the summer and work at Tim Hortons. While many of my friends and family advised me against it, it further encouraged me to take on this endeavor. Despite working there for just over a month, there was much to learn and much to hate. Because what doesn’t break you, only makes you stronger.
My coworkers
Right from the start I realized that there were those who were bound to work there (to obtain a permanent residence), and me who just came there for life experience (which often got laughed at by colleagues). There also existed a big cultural and language gap between me and my then-coworkers as majority of the employees (and even the employers) were from the Philippines and had a tough time communicating in English.
The work
Simply put, the work was monotonous manual labor that required NO creativity and provided no intellectual stimulation. I would often begin making the graphs and rewrite paragraphs from what I learnt from my previous classes on the backs of takeout bags to keep me sane during my shift. It therefore became extremely draining as mentally I wanted something far more challenging but by the end of my shift, my body used to give away. It was then not coincidental, rather consequential, that many of my then-coworkers were often found abusing nicotine (cigarettes) and cannabis as that was the only easiest way to keep elevated levels of dopamine and stay “happy”. I can’t not mention the exquisite views from the room, during commute and wanderings on the days off. I will forever cherish those beautiful bike rides beneath the majestic beasts of the mountains.
The accommodation
As per my experience, the staff accommodation was most definitely overcrowded as per Alberta Housing regulations. While this was quite scary during the COVID19 pandemic, it kept the rent low for accommodation (to which I can’t really object to). On the plus side, this facilitated for more conversations amongst house mates. The room itself was a bit too small for 2 people. It also didn’t help that my roommate and I were literally polar opposites in myriad of ways. Nonetheless, it taught me much about fostering connections and conversations despite differences in interests.
What I learnt…
Patience, stress-management, staying objective (to rid off any embarrassment and pride), appreciation for fast-food workers, and grateful for my family for readily providing me the many basic life necessities for free were just some of the many lessons that I learnt. Furthermore, the occasional scintillating conversations that I had with my then-coworkers helped me understand the difficult situation of those aspiring to live in Canada and became more empathetic to their situation. Living by myself also altered my definition of privilege. Being on an academic journey whilst having full support of my family and not working out of compulsion is a privileged bubble in and of itself (had I not undertaken this challenge I would have stayed as an ignorant twat). This experience immensely facilitated in my overall development and maturity, as having numerous varied and diverse interactions helped me to relate more to my fellow men.
Best thing you can do for the employees…
Be quick, patient, decisive and clear with your order. This will help them serve you quicker and you’ll save more time in your day. If you see someone struggling with your order, be patient as they may be in training or a bit flustered with the myriad number of tasks to perform. Don’t pressure them as they may get your order wrong and take more of your time. Always remember, fast-food employees have it harder than you.
In the next 30–50 years…
I expect many of these fast-food jobs to completely disappear due to the immaculate innovation in the field of AI with voice assistance. As most of the employees just need to press buttons (either on a screen or on the machine) these jobs are extremely exhaustible and at the brink of extinction. This no longer is just speculation where voice assistants are in place to take drive-thru orders in many fast-food restaurants in the US (prototype phase). Tim Hortons should therefore promote their capability to take mobile orders even more aggressively and, contrary to my experience, give preference to those customers who make use of this service.
While in today’s innovative world it’s REALLY hard to die jobless (assuming you are physically and mentally fit), if you want to do something that you dearly love, you must truly work hard for it now or die hating the job that you may end up with.
