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Advice with Ms. Price
Dear Ms. Price,
I’m 16 years old and have just moved to Florida from Minnesota, where I was born and raised. I love the beaches and life here in Florida, and even though I miss my friends, I’m beginning to feel at home.
The question is that I just started my first job at a gift shop close to the beaches and walking distance from my home. It’s part-time and on the weekend because I still go to school. When I showed up for work on my first Saturday, they made me stay for eight hours with the same eight-hour schedule on Sunday. That’s 16 hours in one weekend.
I think that’s too many hours, and I want to quit. My mom says that’s normal and I’m lucky to have the job. The only thing I like about my life here is going to the beach, and now that I have this job, I won’t be able to go as often as I’d like. The job is enjoyable, and I do like working there. I need the money if I want to buy clothes and have anything “extra” like movie money. What’s your advice? Should I quit?
Beached in St. Pete
Dear Beached,
I’m confused. You applied for a part-time job. You arrived and worked a part-time schedule. And now you want to quit because you think 16 hours is cutting into your beach time?
Did you clarify your hours of availability to your new employer? Did they give you a schedule in advance? Have you had a conversation with your new employer?
It’s tough to advise without all the information, but it seems you need this job. You’re at an appropriate age to accept extra responsibilities as long as it doesn’t interfere with school. And you say it’s a pleasant environment. I would count my lucky stars to have found a job that you can work on the weekends. I am confident that you can make room for beach time. It’s all part of becoming an adult.
Dear Ms. Price,
After living in a filthy dump for almost 10 years, I finally made a move to a downtown high-rise apartment building in St. Pete. It’s my dream building, and I have struggled for years to save the money and build my credit to qualify. I finally made it, moved in three months ago, and I couldn’t be happier, with one exception: the sound from my next-door neighbor.
They warned me that the walls were thin in this building, but I didn’t listen. I work from home and am pretty quiet. I have Zoom meetings every day and talk to clients, and it’s embarrassing when they can hear my neighbor’s music, bass turned up to the max, yelling, screaming and dogs barking.
I don’t want to have a poor relationship with my neighbors and have said “hello” to them in the halls. They seem nice, but I’ve been nervous about mentioning this problem.
I feel horrible and need advice. After all this time and hard work, my dream apartment is becoming a nightmare. What should I do?
Drowned Out in Downtown
Dear Drowned,
My friend, I can empathize with this problem. I, too, have lived in a building with thin walls and noisy neighbors. I tried being understanding and wearing earbuds to drown out the music, or I would turn on the television or music to balance the sound. However, you work from home and require quiet to work.
The good news is that when you live in a high-rise apartment building, you can always call management to handle any of these issues. My advice is to call them, explain in a calm and professional manner what you’re experiencing, and allow them to address the sound issue for you. Let the management know you work from home, and the excessive noise interferes with your livelihood. Good luck.
