The COMO Mojo: Lessons from the Late Shift

No matter how old you are or how many jobs you’ve had, most — if not all — of us remember our first-ever jobs.

Since turning 16, I’ve had five, and my first one was hands-down the worst (yet, oddly enough, somehow one of the best). You guessed it — the food industry. More specifically, Panera. Or “Bread Co.” for you wacky St. Louis natives.  

Let me set the scene. I was hired as a “café associate”/barista, and according to the application, my duties included welcoming customers, taking their orders, handing over their bakery items, and making drinks like coffee and smoothies. Simple enough, right?  

I should’ve been more wary when, on my first day of training, I learned that since I worked the closing shift (4 p.m. to whenever everything was done), I was responsible for shutting down the front of the store — everything except the main food line. That meant sweeping and mopping the floors, cleaning both the men’s and women’s bathrooms (I’ll spare you of the horrors I witnessed in there), wiping down tables, vacuuming the dining room, emptying the drink bubblers, and taking out what felt like endless containers of trash to the dumpster. You get the idea. The list was, and I say this with barely any exaggeration, never-ending. And despite asking for around sixteen hours a week, I somehow ended up working close to thirty, while being a full-time student.  

It’s honestly embarrassing to admit how many times I cried in the walk-in refrigerator. But hey, it was an experience in building character, right?  

You might be wondering what made this job one of the best despite all that. The answer? My coworkers — affectionately coined as The Panera Pals. Don’t get me wrong, we still got the job done, but we kept things lighthearted, cracking jokes and making the shift feel less grueling. (I clearly took working there way too seriously, so this was a much-needed stress relief.) On weekends, after working 12-8 shifts, we’d head next door for a late dinner or just hit up McDonald’s. One holiday season, we even met up at 5 a.m. for a Christmas celebration before some of us clocked in for the early-morning shift.  

We’ve all since moved on, and now, we look back and laugh at the misery of that crazy job. But looking back, my biggest takeaway, both from that job and every one I’ve had since, is the importance of finding a community and leaning on it to get through tough times. It’s funny how shared struggles — however miserable in the moment — can bring people closer together.  

At every job I’ve had, I’ve befriended people I probably wouldn’t have even thought to talk to if I’d just passed them in public, and many of them I still hold dear to this day. As we reflect on the past few years and how life has changed, it’s worth thinking about our people — the ones who got us through times of uncertainty and hardship.  

Who helped you work through a difficult chapter? Who in your life, or your community, might need someone to lean on right now?  

While the power of connection is evident in a work setting, it’s just as important beyond it. We all have the opportunity to be that person for someone else. And sometimes, all it takes is a shared laugh, a small act of kindness, or simply showing up for each other to remind us we’re not in it alone.