
Customer service in a pandemic shutdown
At the beginning of 2020, I was making travel plans and looking forward to the best year yet. I am 24, and I have worked in food service for the past 6 years. I started the year waiting tables 3 nights a week, and working at a coffee shop 4-5 days as well. I visited Seattle WA in January, and flew home the same day the first known corona case came through Seattle airport. I watched as policies at both jobs changed, and customers grew irate at every new restriction. I was lucky enough to get paid for 2 months as my coffee shop closed, and I threw myself into working takeout 40 hours a week. I started driving delivery, making almost everything that my friends on unemployment were receiving. I was extremely cautious with my parents, and my coworkers. I watched as several coworkers went on sick leave, and when my coffee shop reopened, I had to quarantine myself twice. I became symptomatic, (tested negative), and ended up leaving my serving job to work for doordash. I quarantined again when my parents, sister, and both paternal grandparents tested positive in December. After a few days in the ICU, my grandpa pulled through, and was released from the hospital on Christmas. My family has been lucky enough to make it through 2020, but my maternal grandfather is currently quarantined in his nursing home due to a covid exposure. I watched my brother, a December ’20 VA Tech grad, as he had his USMC commissioning ceremony over zoom. It has been a difficult year, and certainly full of unprecedented changes. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to get closer to my family, and to solidify my financial situation.