My hand is dead to me

This year was a pretty low key fair year for me. Technically I went to the fair 7 separate times, but 6 of them, I was working the NCSU Dairy Bar where I scooped unhealthy sized portions of ice cream and handed it to them with a smile and sometimes some words of encouragement. I loved it when parents would order ice cream for their 6 year old kid and when you handed their order out, their eyes widen, jaw drops and then immediately break out into the biggest grin you've ever seen. It's like Christmas morning over and over again. And the best part is that you're giving them that Christmas morning feeling. :)


Let us not forget, though, that I completed 10 shifts at the dairy bar, most worked two in a row. Each shift is three hours long. Thus, over the course of 8 days I worked 30 hours (not that I doubted your math skills in any way). I am so grateful that Matt has a wonderful job that pays him the big bucks so that I can go to school and not have to work.

That being said, I cannot begin to describe to you the pain my right arm and hand went through over the course of those 8 days. I truly believe that I bruised the bone and I have contracted carpel tunnel syndrome, but it was worth it. Even though I was in a lot of pain, I got paid (indirectly) for it. For my efforts, I was paid one point for every hour I worked. I earned 30 points this year, just for dairy bar. I also earn points for doing things with the club like working events, participating in activities, and general participation in food science club things. Then, at the end of the year, we "redeem" our points for money that we can put towards school related things. Every year, the amount that a point is worth is different, depending on how much is leftover in the budget. I really want to go to a professional conference in Anaheim, California this year, so I need to earn as many points as possible!! Last year the points were worth close to nine dollars, so if I get that again this year, I've already earned 270 dollars towards the trip. :)

Any way, it was hard, but totally worth it.