A customer complained that the drink had spilled inside the bag and it’s because I did not cover the lid properly and forgot to use proper protection for the paper 
. My manager did not directly punish me but he obviously felt frustrated af because he was in a foul mood after. And I felt like I really pushed his patience because he was always very nice and friendly and to see him geniunely angry makes me feel very guilty 
. I had Also made another minor mistake that caused the manager on cctv to send a reminder through the groupchat:downcast_face_with_sweat:. I really want to leave my 2 month old pt job but I already had a f2f talk with my manager a month ago about leaving but ended up staying because my female manager was extremely sweet and understanding of me and quitting would feel like I made a terrible payback to her :((. I’m a slow learner and I just can’t seem to understand why I can’t grasp my colleagues explanations and it will take me weeks to be able to understand and carry out the task fluidly 
. I already broke down once last month because of getting reprimanded by my chef and just being unable to quickly meet expectations no matter how hard I try :(. Don’t get me wrong, my colleagues are nice people but I feel like they are also very frustrated with me and dislike me because I keep forgetting things and incompetent at my job.I just feel very suffocated by my workplace environment and I really feel like quitting would make me so much happier. It doesn’t help that half my colleagues are from the same institution as me as well. I feel really ashamed how I’m older than few of them but they are way more competent in the job than I am and seeing me getting talked to by chef and manager. I could honestly go on wayyy more but it will be way too long. I’d really appreciate in depth advice and understanding of my predicament 
. The main issue is I’m scared of bringing up the idea of quitting again to my female manager because we talked about it already. She always assured me that I could let her know any troubles I have but I really struggle with opening up about my honest feelings with her until I’m really pushed to the edge… what should I message her about? I prefer texting as a mode of communication because it’s easier to vent my feelings.I want to discreetly leave my job but I also wan to be truly honest about my reasoning for leaving
hello, thank you for sharing. I understand it can be incredibly overwhelming at the moment, and such accidents happen, and I believe we can only learn from here 
I understand that you wish to quit your job, and it is quite a big decision, perhaps you can sit down and reflect first and I believe voicing it out to her will help.
hey @user8370, thank you for opening up about this! i can rlly feel how much effort you’ve been putting in – it sounds like you genuinely care about doing well and not letting others down. and i completely get how heavy it must be to keep trying while still feeling like you’re falling short 
.
during my first internship, i also made many silly errors and constantly felt like i was causing unnecessary trouble for others. it was such a hard feeling to sit with, esp when everyone around me seemed so capable. so please know that you’re not alone in this.
it makes total sense that you’re feeling suffocated and drained. working in an environment where you’re always anxious about making mistakes can be so discouraging. and it’s completely okay to want to leave a place that’s making you feel this way. leaving doesn’t mean you’ve failed – it means you’re caring for yourself and recognising what you need right now.
before you message your manager, maybe take some time to think about what you’d like that convo to do for you? eg. seek support, explore ways to make things more manageable, or express your wish to step down. once you’re clear on that, it’ll be easier to phrase your message in a way that feels honest but comfortable for you.
if you do decide to resign, perhaps you could say sth like “i’m really grateful for how supportive you’ve been, but i’ve been feeling quite overwhelmed and think it might be best for me to step down. this is something i’ve thought about for a while and ultimately decided on after a lot of reflection. i truly appreciate everything i’ve learned here and your kindness throughout. wishing you and the company all the best!”
you don’t need to over-explain or apologise – your feelings and needs are valid as is. some workplaces just aren’t the right fit for our learning pace or style, and that’s perfectly okay.
be gentle with yourself, okay? i’m rooting for you 
Hi I’m really so grateful that you replied and it’s amazing how you empathized with my feelings so well:folded_hands:. Ik u suggested what I could message but manager but I also forgot to mention more reasons on why I feel like I’m ungrateful to my female manager . Cus after the breakdown my female manager stationed me at sales and other tasks which I’m already familiar and comfortable with. However, there are other times where I have no choice to do the customer’s order which is the most fast and multi-tasking as there may not be enough people available to do that and I happen to be the only “free” one. I just also don’t want to be seen as unhelpful by my colleagues . I really feel terrible when I have to be talked down to by managers/chef at work in front of other part timers esp when they are people i like. I just hate this dreaded feeling for these past 2 months and to be honest I just want to enjoy my life until graduating from poly since I feel like it’s one of the last times I can enjoy my youth.
Oh and to give a bit of context about me I’m kinda shy and a little bit introverted so I struggle to talk a lot to my colleagues. Almost all of them seem like chatty and just chill to talk to each other like friends. Of course there are times where I try my best to be fun and interact with them like a friend but I alw feel like I don’t deserve to be super chatty with them until I fully get my job right and it just feel unnatural to chat with them so friendlily. Even the extroverted ones seem more lively whenever someone else arrives at work as compared to me even if they also seem a little bit reserved by their nature( but still much less reserved and a little more outgoing than me ofc). And Mabye that’s why it’s easier for them to not like me deep down because I’m just a little bit shy and meek.
Hey @user8370,
I sense that you’ve been living in a kind of quiet tension, between being grateful and being tired, between not wanting to hurt kind people and not wanting to hurt yourself anymore. And that’s what makes this situation so confusing.
Reading how you’ve described yourself the shy one among chatty colleagues, the older one who still feels small when corrected, I could almost sense how you shrink inside each time someone raises their voice or sighs near you. It was instinctive that your safety meant keeping people pleased, even when it costs your peace. That’s not weakness; that’s your body remembering what it’s like to survive criticism.
Maybe what’s happening now, holding back any judgement, is more than “a slow learner,” It looks like overload and you’ve carried that load quietly, trying not to burden anyone. It’s understandable that the thought of quitting feels like betrayal; to you, it’s not just leaving a job, it’s leaving kindness unfinished. But maybe kindness doesn’t need to be repaid by staying, maybe it can be honoured by being honest.
If you were to message your female manager, you could say something like:
“I’ve been reflecting on my time here and I really want to thank you for all your support. I’ve realised I’ve been pushing myself beyond what I can handle, and it’s starting to affect my wellbeing. This job has taught me a lot, but I think it’s time for me to take a break and refocus before graduation. I hope you can understand that it’s not about the team, I’m just not coping as well as I hoped.”
This isn’t quitting out of failure; it’s choosing rest before resentment sets in.
And when you do leave, maybe give yourself permission not to fill the silence immediately. One small question for you to hold: if you didn’t have to prove you’re hardworking or likable, what kind of peace would you want your days to have?
Hello, thanks for sharing!
Reading what you wrote and how you reflected on your mistakes really reminded me of myself when I first started my part-time job in F&B (looool). Trust me… it’s completely normal to make mistakes — HAHHAHA, been there, done that.
Honestly speaking, I was so not cut out for an F&B job. I’m pretty petite and not as strong as most people, plus I’m quite introverted — so imagine me having to talk to strangers all day. It was honestly a nightmare at first 
When I was younger, I messed up so many times, especially when I was working in banquet. TRUST ME, I cried so much because of the mistakes I made — and yet, I still went back again. And cried again. And went back again. And then cried again. Looking back, i must be nuts to keep going back to a place that make me cry but i guess i was tight for cash.
On my very first day, I was supposed to prepare fries for the restaurant, but I ended up scalding myself and dropping the entire plate of fries on the floor. Got scolded and, of course, cried. Then there was another time when I was serving in the VIP room — I was holding a tray full of wine glasses, tripped over the carpet, and fell flat on the floor right in front of the guests and my manager. Luckily, none of the glass cut me, but god, I was so embarrassed I cried on the spot HAHA. There are many incidents like this and god damn i cry so much you don’t know.
But looking back now, those moments actually taught me a lot. They showed me that everyone starts somewhere, and that mistakes don’t define your ability — they’re just part of learning and growing. I also feel like they taught me to be kinder and more patient with people who are still new. It even helped me understand my own strengths better — like how I definitely shouldn’t work in F&B anymore hahaha. So if you’re making mistakes right now, it doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It just means you’re still learning — and that’s completely okay 
(P.S. The mistakes you’re making are actually pretty common in the F&B industry, so don’t be too hard on yourself!)