Recent Pet Peeves at Work

Working at Staples can be pretty hectic and stressful at times. Some might think that "oh its just staples, how hard could it be?". Well it can be very difficult to deal with. More recently, its the really anal customers that will fight with you for three dollars. Sometimes im about ready to hand them the money out of my own pocket. For instance, I was ringing up some items for a customer who bought a folder that came up on the register as one dollar and seventy-nine cents. She insisted that it was nintey-nine cents. That example is just a mild anal person. Last week, there was another lady, who was purchasing some item that came up to 39.99. Her first reaction was "uhhh no!" Apparently the sign had said something different, who knows if it really did or not. I told her politely that the sign is wrong and she said "well you have got about five of those over there that are wrong". I wanted to tell her something back. I just hate when customers talk down to people who are just trying to do their job. As associates, my co-workers and I cannot disrespect the customers or else they will complain to a manager. The customers just need to learn some respect. One day, I want to find out where they work and treat them the same way they treat us.


I was told that in the Indian culture, the people were taught to talk down to workers in the stores. So when they come over here to America they bring their condescending attitudes with him. That is exactly what happens at Staples. We get the cheap people always trying to get a deal when they know our prices are expensive. It is really annoying how some customers can act in the store. All we ask is for some respect and we will treat you the same way.

Graduate School

After I graduate from San Jose State and receive my bachelors degree in Political Science. I plan on going to go on to Law school. This past week, recruiters from many different graduate schools came to the SJSU campus. I checked out two graduate schools: University of California Hastings in San Francisco and Santa Clara University. However, most law schools enrollment are very competitive. For example, UC Hastings has an enrollment of only 1200 students . In addition, their requirements for admission cost an arm and a leg. One requirement for acceptance is taking the LSAT. I havent even thought about when I am going to take the exam. I am afraid that I wont pass the first time and I might have to lose a semester or year because I did not pass a test. Another requirement is two letters of recommendation. So now I have to focus on getting two people who are qualified to do so. The last requirement is the Grade point average. Different law schools have different requirements and averages for their GPA's. For example, Santa Clara has an average of 3.57. Whereas, UC Hastings is 2.4-3.5.

I want to get accepted to a really good law school. There is also the financial issue with attending Law school. For instance, attending Santa Clara averages about 35,000 dollars per year. UC Hastings averages 25,000 per year. I know I wont be able to afford it without any scholarships and grants which I should be thinking about soon. However, I still have to focus on the classes that I am taking this semester and the semesters to come. Although it was very helpful getting information on the two graduate schools. I still have to consider my options on different law schools to see which i am most comfortable with. There is so much to do before I graduate. Hopefully, all the stress will be relieved once I get everything done. However, I have a feeling different stress will come about.

This semester.....

Many of my friends, family, co-workers, and aquintances have asked me "how do you like your classes"? or "how is this semester going for you"? Even though I have only been in school for three weeks now, I reply with the same answer "ehh its alright". However, if it was only alright I wouldnt be as exhausted as I have been these past couple weeks. I am taking sixteen units and working an average of 20-25 hours which translates into five classes, physical education class, and a headache. I am going to be honest here; I am not the most athletic person in the world. Therefore, when I'm working out for fifty minutes, two days a week, I tend to feel that burn. Especially, comming from a relaxing summer, not having any aerobic-oriented activity was hard. I have to say tuesdays and thursdays are my most challenging days. For instance, I have to be up by 7 am and I am not a morning person. Then I have to leave my house a couple minutes before 8 to try to make the 8:05 lightrail. However, im not always fortunate when it comes to getting on time to the train. So i get on the other train, it takes thirty minutes to get to school. Of course, I cant read or do homework because I get motion sickness very easily. Anyway, after that long, monotonous ride is over to campus. I have to three classes. Not one..not two..but three! All very important classes I must admit. However, I was not thinking when i gave my availability for work on those two days. I am scheduled at four for work, yet i dont get out of school until 2:45. So, of course I am back on the fun train ride back home for a wonderful thirty minutes. Keep in mind this fun train ride is after three classes, one being the aerobics. Back to it being after school, so I just want to go home. The lightrail takes forever to get to my stop. I usually dont get home until 3:30. Then i have work at four until nine. I do not want to come off the wrong way by complaining about how my life is exhausting. However, the next time anyone asks me about this semester they will kow its not just alright.

So far at SJSU...

I first attended San Jose State University in the fall of 2005. After being in the comfort of high school for four years, I knew it was going to be big transition. I have to admit Orientation was sort of nerve recking. For instance, the thought of starting college was overwelming because I did not know what to expect. There were many activites, so we were broken down into groups which made it easier to meet new people. I was also accepted into the ASPIRE program here on campus which is located in the student services center. They are basically advisors who help first generation college students with their four year plan. Every summer this organization holds a five day orientation for incomming freshmen. I remember the night before, I was having second thoughts before going because I didnt know anyone who was going to be there. Fortunately, I made friends instantly on the first day. It was easy talking to the people there because a lot of them were in the same situation as I was. After those five days, I had made great friendships with good people.

My freshman year began, going from 5,000 to 30,000 people was definitly a huge difference. Especially trying to get from one place to another without fifty other people walking in front of you was a challenge. Another example would have to be the long lines into the business building, that was ridiculous having a long line (out to the walkway) just to get to class. As the semester went along, I began getting used to the campus, meeting new people, and using the facillities that were offered which my tuition was paying for anyway. A couple months and classes later, my second year began. My second year was a lot better than my freshman year. For instance, i knew what I was doing, I had finally picked my major, and was used to the campus. As a third year junior, I am already ready to graduate. However, I am only half way done. I am hopeing by the end of my San Jose State experience, that I would be able to say in the four years (knock on wood) that I have spent at state that it was memorable.

back to school at staples

For the last ten months, I have been working at Staples the Office supply store. The hours are flexible with my school schedule and the location is close by to where I live. However, these past two weeks at staples have been "Back to School". Meaning that another big sale has come up again. Also that means our store hours have been changed to where we open later. During the Back to school sale, we have sales from pencils to lap-tops. We also have a teacher appriciation day, where we hand out free supplies to teachers which is probably the most craziest day of the year. Those supplies went quick. Anyway the Back-to-school sale at staples is pretty much insane. We have pencils starting at a penny to twenty cent binders. So you can imagine how the customers will be taking advantage of the sale and how much of a mess the store is after we close.

For instance, staples has a limit on how much a customer can purchase an item. Do not buy like thirty pencils and expect any of the cashier to split up the transactions especially when there is twenty more people in line. Thats another thing that bothers me about the back to school sale is when there is a long line of customers, they will still go in line and just stare the cashier down as if that were going to make the line go any faster. We get some pretty interesting customers all year round, however i think back to school is most entertaining. Everyone is at most chaos because they need to get all the items on the list their child's teacher gives them. Oh yeah! I notice at least five people are asking for rain checks when we are out of stock and its fun to tell them no we do not give out rain checks. We are not Albertons or Nob Hill foods. After the customers leave, it is time to clean after their mess. It is ridiculous how you will find pencils where the notebooks are or where the crayons where the laptops are. Did i mention we have a binder wall that plays that has the domino effect. When someone takes out a binder, all the binders somehow just fall down. I would have to say its the binders that always take up the most time to be put back.

The back to school sale at staples is certainly an experience. Fortunately there is only one more week left of this craziness.