Essential workers have been heavily relied on for stability during the unpredictable stretch of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even some Bearden students have taken on the responsibility of being an essential worker during the height of it.

Being an essential worker during Covid-19 was an eye-opening experience for some students. They encountered difficult problems that had never come up before in their jobs.

“[Working] was hard, tough on morale, and it was ultimately difficult to keep thinking positive,” said senior Zoe Jouline, a worker at Chick-Fil-A.

Keeping coworkers and customers safe from a virus while working methodically was something that some students never had to think about before. Social distancing and continual sanitizing were hard to keep up with in a hectic working environment.

Dealing with customers efficiently and safely during uncertain times was stressful and ultimately exhausting for those who worked as essential workers during the pandemic.

“I realized that there’s a lot of people who react differently in scary situations,” said senior Alexa Cabral, a worker at Kroger. “Some people were super nice because they knew that we were dealing with a lot, but some people were very rude and were angry when we had to limit what they bought.” 

These demanding times forced some students to change their perspective on their jobs.

“Working during the pandemic completely changed my mindset on what it means to be a leader,” Jouline said. “All the team members below me were upset with their schedules, stressed about work, and worried about the safety of their lives and their families.

“Being the go-to person for these problems really opened my eyes to what it meant to be a leader.”

Working during the pandemic showed students how to effectively keep themselves and others safe from Covid-19 outside of work, too.

“Working during the pandemic basically just showed and taught me to be extra careful even when I’m not working,” said junior Marlee Briggs, a Pelican’s SnoBalls worker.

Students who worked during the pandemic were thankful to have the privilege to work safely alongside their coworkers.

“I cherished my job a lot more,” said senior Price Duff, a Publix worker. “I was thankful to be employed while others were losing their jobs.”

Regardless of the difficult experiences that being an essential worker brought to some students, they ultimately came out of it with a newfound outlook and appreciation for their jobs.