So because I am a work study student, I have been searching relentlessly for a campus job during the last couple of weeks. Finally on Tuesday I secured a job at both the Cyber Cafe and the Colony Room. Last night at around six thirty (and after much frenzy) I ran down to the Cyber for my first night of training. The Cyber Cafe is an on campus coffee shop in the basement of the student union. They sell coffee (obviously), smoothies, milkshakes, ice cream, sandwiches etc etc etc. It’s basically like midnight snack/sweet tooth central. Needless to say I was excited to be on the opposite side of the counter.

Because I’ve never worked in this kind of setting before, I had to learn everyyyything. Kim, one of the other girls who works there taught me everything she knows and more over the two and a half hours that I was there. The first thing we did was make cookies (yum), which meant learning to operate the toaster oven (no big deal). Then, as people came and ordered things, she showed me how to make them. Milkshakes are without a doubt, the most annoying things to make. First, you have to scoop an exorbitant amount of ice cream into a large metal cup. Then, fill it with just the right amount of milk (this is hard to judge). Then, for the milkshake machine. This is where my heart starts beating really fast and my hands practically freeze to the sides of the cup. So you are supposed to shove the cup of ice cream and milk onto the machine so the wand is in the center of the ice cream and so the lip of the cup is under the button thing. The issue is twisting and turning the cup in just the right, and most efficient manner in order to encourage a smooth, desired milkshake consistency. But I guess after more practice, this will be less intimidating.

I also learned how to make mochas, lattes, smoothies (easy shmeasy), cream sodas, and bubble tea! Bubble tea is the cafe’s newest drink and is a smoothie consistency but has large beads of tapioca in the bottom that taste like gummy bears. It’s different, but good!

I’m definitely still learning all of the “ways of the cyber” and need time to sort of develop my own techniques. But it’s definitely a fun job and keeps you moving and energized. I also like it because I will get a chance to meet a lot of new people. So many students come through the Cyber, that you are constantly in contact with so many different faces. It’s fun to talk to people who sit at the counter too while you work. Or to see friends who are passing through.
So if you end up at BW, prospective student, stop by the Cyber! Yum!