This Job Made Me Not Hate Working

Is it the people, the pay or the community I’m a part of? No idea, but I grew to love this job. 

One of the first times I saw the field I would work at every weekend. Photo by: (Marina Meireles//The Underground)

When I first started applying to university, I knew my days of being unemployed were coming to an end. I was luckier than most and didn’t have to work through high school. Coming from a complete place of privilege, I was so excited because I truly didn’t know what to expect. 

The job search was at first, brutal. I had never worked before, so my resume was nothing more than some volunteer projects I participated in, but definitely nothing that said Wow! You’re the best applicant! The summer before I moved to Canada to begin my first year in this university, I applied to over 80 jobs through the Career & Co-Curricular Learning Network (CLNx). I heard back from three positions, all starting with “Unfortunately, we are not moving on with your application.” But, out of the other 77 applications, one landed me an interview that got me my first job. 

Three years after getting that first “You’re hired”, I still get emotional when I get a job offer or a raise. I’ve worked at three different jobs offered by U of T in my three years here so far. Each one of them made me grow in a different way, and understand that although work is work and it will not always be exciting, you can still find more than what you were looking for in that ordinary routine.

My two work study experiences at UTSC, first as a production assistant, then as a media lab monitor, were the best I could’ve had to prepare me for my career. I was working with cameras, editing and doing everything I dreamed of, while still learning so much and discovering my passions in a place designed for that. But those two experiences don’t come close to what my current job has taught and brought me.

The story begins in the second semester of my first year. Me and my friend learned that it was free to watch varsity games at the U of T St. George campus. With nothing better to do, there we were, heading downtown to watch varsity games, even though we didn’t understand a thing about any sport. But, something about the atmosphere of watching a game live and actually cheering for someone got to me. Right then, I knew that if I had the chance, I would try to work there for the next year. 

The semester went by, we ended up going to countless games and actually started to like what we were watching. During exam season, I saw they posted new positions for the next fall. That was it. Working in something I actually enjoyed and making money out of it? Sign me up. I applied as I waited for my flight to board to finally go home, a position to work as ticketing staff. What is that? 

With nothing to lose, I sent my updated resume and a cover letter, not thinking much of it. Ten hours later when I landed, I had an email inviting me for an interview. Two days later, there I was, being interviewed. Then, absolute silence. 

For two months, I didn’t hear anything back. I thought I didn’t get it, but decided to email them to ask. I then got an email saying “we are happy to have you join our team!” A month later, I was trying to become friends with my new co-workers as we prepared to welcome over four-thousand fans for the football home opener. Turns out, my weekends now belonged to sports I didn’t even know existed and to a community I never knew I wanted to be a part of.

It was tiring, and I had to stop my tears from falling multiple times when a customer was rude to me. It was also talking through the five hours of a soccer shift with people I had never met and were now part of my work days. It was becoming good friends with someone I got paired with for one shift, then learning about the NFL, NBA and NHL rules and statistics all at once because one of the guys was betting money on the leagues. It didn’t end well for him that season. 

It was saying goodbye to cherished co-workers in the middle of February, at the end of the season then, meeting again for dinner because they became some of my close friends. 

Game time from backstage. Photo by: (Marina Meireles//The Underground)

As I wrap up my second year working in this position, I think back to when I started. I wasn’t half as strong or social as I am now. I wasn’t good at talking or listening. I didn’t have people in my life to brighten my days. As I watch co-workers graduate and move to the next chapter of their lives, all I can hope is that they never forget of the fun we had in those sunny days of football season where our BeReals had to be in the shade, the freezing winter nights at the ticket office where we recorded way too many TikToks because we didn’t have anything better to do, and most importantly, all the times that work sucked, but we supported each other to make it bearable. 

This is why I cannot seem to hate work. So far, it’s been more than just hours worked and money earned. It’s about the people I meet through work, and the five-hour mental break from everything else in my life I desperately needed. I think that workplace friendships like these are good for the wellbeing of every working student.