If you take a look at all the retail stores and food joints around, you’d notice that more than half of them hire teens for the summer months. Eager to find a job to cure an empty wallet as well as seasonal boredom, high school and college kids flock to the same places hoping to be called back for an interview.

This summer, jobs were especially scarce and hard to find. All the places I called(restaurants, coffee joints, bookstores, clothing stores) have their spots filled already or don’t hire seasonally. However, just when I was about to give up, I got lucky with It’s A Grind Coffeehouse; they needed some extra people for shifts, and I was available.

The best thing about working for a coffee place is learning how to make everything. I officially know the magic of how many pumps of syrup makes a vanilla latte taste just right, or the exact texture of good foam to top off a capachinno. A sucker for good coffee-based concoctions myself, this valuable information will definitely come in handy come this fall back in college when a triple-shot expresso may just be the thing to get me through an all-nighter study session.

I’m also a big fan of the tip jar we have at the front counter. Customers have all been very generous with their tips, and though my hourly pay is on the lower end, extra tips definitely help brighten my day.

Finally, the coffeehouse atmosphere is the best environment that I’ve worked in. Soft rock and jazz music along with cozy couches, dim lights, and sweet smells drifting from the bakery just about makes it the best place to hang-out. When business is slow, some time off to just chat with co-workers and enjoy a drink myself makes the job relaxing and even fun.