Features: Life In The Day: Charlotte Gay

This piece is written in the style of the Sunday Times Magazine, it focuses on my stereotypical day before attending BU.

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A Life in the Day: Charlotte Gay

The Devonshire student, 18, on waitressing and finding the time to seize the day.

My first thought when I wake up is usually 'Where am I?’

This is because of living with parents in separate houses. Once noting where I am staying, I quickly recall what it is I am supposed to be doing that day. I don't mind getting on with my day once I'm up, however since leaving North Devon College I am relaxing in the joy that is the summer time. Of course if you were to try and find North Devon College, you will soon realise it does not exist. 2009 saw our own ‘coalition’ – the North and the East coming together to create… Petroc. Anti-climax? We all thought so.

Bitter Sweet Countryside

However summers’ have always been very bitter sweet to me. Until this year, I couldn't drive and being stuck in the middle of the 'Devonshire Countryside' (although lovely) doesn't look quite so pleasant when the nearest bus is a 40 minute walk away - bad times.

Typically when I'm up I'll grab my own concoction of breakfast. I like to be 'inventive' with my food. The best tool for these creations is a toasted sandwich maker - the possibilities are truly endless. Charlie will usually, however, demand that his needs are met first and insists on weaving in-between my legs and putting his head in the fridge - I should probably mention that Charlie is my cat.

Luckily, though there are breakfast shifts regularly offered to me, I have been able to justify my preference for evening and weekend shift with my ‘college get out of jail free’ card. Waiting is a lot harder than people initially think. Character building? Yes, I have certainly had to toughen up my emotions – I used to get teary as soon as easily as someone making an offhand comment. But being hounded down by the kitchen for simply being swamped with other orders is a daily occurrence. Understandably the kitchen can be stressful, yet after a difficult customer it does make you question Do people do this on purpose? I have heard some tall complaints but the worst has to have been ‘This ice cream is too cold’. Or a weirder note I even had a woman give me her tooth! There are worrying people out there. I am also sometimes a bar maid too – even scarier that waiting. Although my nervous disposition for this is purely acquired by the fact that I the bar attached to my restaurant is manned by only 1 bar person at a time. 1 person to serve, clean, take food orders, change barrels (though I have managed to escape this so far) and pour drinks for restaurant too. Thrown in at the deep end I’ve worked it alone since my ‘induction’ shift.

'The Woodford Massive'

I like my job mainly because of the people I work with. At my 1^st job I was the youngest member of staff and never enjoyed the way it excluded me socially. But now, since so many of us are similar ages, I’m in the social haven of ‘Woodford Bridge Country Club’ or should I say the ‘Woodford massive!’

I have met so many more new friends since working there. A standard shift will end with us either staying up ridiculously late in staff accommodation watching films or all going out for a crazy night somewhere. I’ve had night when we parked up home back at 8am ready for Sunday carvery. I love being spontaneous and it is more exciting that way. There is a problem with that though, mainly for my boss. Work being the centre of gossip and many of us hung-over, perhaps its too social. Nevertheless as social as I want to be, I always get the job done.

Eventually rocking home at god knows what hour I tend to finish the night off with a cup of tea and maybe a brief mental day plan for tomorrow before collapsing asleep.