3 Things You Learn When You First Become a Cocktail Waitress

My bar frolicking during Hurricane Sandy led me to taking a second job as a cocktail waitress. The bar I spent my time out during the storm had an opening and I gladly accepted. In a city like NYC, you can never have too much money, too many friends or too many connections. Since I was lacking all of these things, I was anxious to get started. As much as I loved starting my NYC bar working escapades, I had no idea what I was in for taking on another job. Here are the three most important things I learned in my first few months working as a cocktail waitress:

1. Your diet suffers. Regardless of what kind of diet you are or are not on – your diet suffers. When working two jobs, it’s impossible to find time to sit down and have a healthy meal every day of the week. I cannot tell you how many times I had a bag of twizzlers and a 16 oz. Red Bull between jobs and called it dinner. Lucky for me, with the amount of running around I did at the bar with a tray in my hand, I was able to work off the calories in a slice of $1 pizza from next door in one shift.

2. You will meet a MILLION people. You will meet people from all over the world doing amazing and not so amazing things. I have made some friends just from waiting on them in the bar. If you need to make friends or make connections working at a bar is the way to do it.

2. You will drink A LOT more.  For example, this is how my Fridays would go:

“Oh man work week is done, it’s 5 o’clock, I gotta get home and have a glass of pinot before heading to the bar for my shift.”

“Pinot – you are so good to me. I need another glass while I do my hair.”

“Crap, gotta chug my 3^rd glass of pinot to get to the bar on time for my shift.”

At work

“Cute men in suits out for happy hour? Sure I’ll do a celebration shot with you!”

“Whoa there’s a lesbian birthday party tonight? I’ll make bank for sure!”

“BIRTHDAY PARTY – of course I will do a shot you fabulous ladies and amazingly dressed gay men.”

“Another birthday shot – You only turn 27 once, legooooo!”

From Bartender: “Nicole, you want me to make you a drink – anything you want!? Or how about a shot? Jameo good? Ok here ya go!”

Once off work

 “Let’s do shots guys! Picklebacks all around!”

“Can I get a double vodka soda with lemon…hold the soda.”

“Omg it’s light outside – 6 AM – where’s the after party??”

After Party

“Beer pong challenge! Ok, ok let’s do waitresses vs. bartenders! It will be soooo fun! Bring it bitches!”

"Oh are us waitresses being too sexy and distracting you male bartenders?! Now, watch us dance to Beyonce!!

“It's 9 AM, did I just fall asleep on the toilet? Ok just one more drink and I gotta get outta here.”

“I need a cab, I need a cab, I need a cab.”

At home

“Ok so its 10:30 AM and I start my next bar shift in how many hours?….is my alarm set?…. wait, what day is it?”

Now, there are a million other little bar tidbits I will share, but looking back on my experience these are the first things I learned and experienced. Just wait - working for a small bar in NYC is like a damn reality show: juicy, "real" and full of drama.