The Second Place: My unlikely place of relaxation.

I recently stumbled upon multiple videos and articles discussing how our modern world is in need of third places, which are defined as hangout spaces where one can relax, escaping the duties and stresses of home and work life. Upon evaluating the places within my day-to-day life, I found two things. Firstly, I don't have a mythical third place in my life, which, upon further research, is basically a bar or library. Secondly, the places I do have are my home, work, and school, which are the first and second places, respectively.

Going into my second job, I find an unlikely source of relaxation and community at my current job at The Home Depot. I have been working as a merchandising execution associate for a year and a half, and it's been one of the best work experiences I have had in my short work history. I have worked part-time for most of my tenure here, which has helped me maintain a balanced and flexible schedule for my college work and extracurriculars, which felt more like work than my actual job at some points. The feeling of peace in the Merchandising Execution Team (MET) is due to three key factors: team culture, stability, and empathy.

In terms of team culture, MET is a somewhat independent body within The Home Depot, existing as a micro-ecosystem within each store. This nature is mainly created to foster a more potent and tangible team dynamic, which helps create consistent continuity within the team. Going deeper into our hours also nurtures this continuity, with everyone part-time and full-time working the same range of hours, so there is never a disconnect throughout shifts as there is only one. The environment for even the most timid is intimate, where team members grow closer and closer over time. This, of course, is from my own subjective observation of my specific team.

I would say currently my bond with my MET colleagues is like family. We all have our roles and strengths, which make us depend on one another. When someone is gone, you feel a void in the day, as part of our family is missing. I saw a post recently that compared coming into a job to being a new character on a well-developed sitcom. I totally agree, as when joining any company, it takes time to break the ice, become familiar with everyone, and be accepted by the established group.

Currently, our team has a load of new people, and I can see from the other side how the group vets new members. It's funny now that I think of it; they are so vigilant, making sure they don't make themselves vulnerable. This is the part where empathy is vital for our team. We all have our own struggles, whether it's relationships or financial strife. Our team avoids judging one another; if someone comes along doing that, it ruins our entire morale. We are all equal in being different in our lifestyles and opinions, yet we are all in accord. I am grateful that I have my team's trust and that they can open up to me about their lives without doubt.

I'm going to miss my team, as sadly, my last day will be tomorrow, at least for the next few months. I am writing to say how grateful I am for my team's companionship. I will miss our shenanigans and roast sessions we have as we pass our time correcting and ordering the store. I will miss our breaks, where we would share our snacks and food. I will miss doing my country voices telling everyone, "Get Them Bays Done." I was asked by one of my co-workers, "You gone, hang out with us while you're gone," and I affirm absolutely. I know personally that I am not the best at maintaining contact with people consistently, but I want to try with these guys. They are important to me, and I wish them all the best so that we can make it out of our struggles and find peace.

I will miss my second place. I hope my next destination will be as great as this one was. If you guys are reading this, thank you for letting me join your family. It means the world to me, even if my stoic demeanor doesn't show it.