The author worked in customer service jobs after college.
Courtesy of Haley Bosselman
After graduating from the journalism program at Arizona State University — at which I held jobs such as sandwich artist, trampoline park traffic monitor, beach snack shack cashier, writing tutor, and library aide — I moved to Los Angeles with friends.I started vying for writing roles and hoping for digital content positions I didn't really want. When I couldn't land a full-time job in my field, I pivoted. Bills were coming.Like I balanced college classes and work, I figured I could balance writing and work. I quickly landed a 9-5 receptionist job at a Beverly Hills hair salon. An unpaid role as a concert reviewer soon followed.My introverted nature evolved thanks to being in customer service and regularly attending concerts solo. I used to slip through my days trying to be as unnoticed as possible. But that doesn't jibe with the ambitious soul or a fully lived life. My quiet girl armor was not, in fact, armor. It was a safety blanket hampering the coming of age into adulthood.Thankfully, I had several years to work on myself before landing my first full-time job.I went to grad school while continuing to workUpon acceptance into the University of Southern California's journalism master's program, I took a Starbucks job and fell into another sprint: student by day, Starbucks by evening, homework late at night.On Saturdays, I worked shifts as both a salon receptionist and a barista. The highlight of my days was the shower afterward. A faint smell of coffee beans emitted from my pores when I scrubbed my skin with hardworking Boraxo. There was something godly about being drenched by hot water.
