Personal Narrative: My First Job

Everyone's first job is special in some way or another. For most it aids them in “growing up”. Marking their transition from childhood into adulthood. My first job threw me into the real world, and helped me become the mature, confident person I am today.
My first job was with a roofing company that a family member owns. It was a job which demanded physical stamina. Pulling up shingles and then hammering nails into the new ones for hours will tire you out. I also had to climb up and down a ladder and maneuver it around a house to reach the gutters to clean them out. To clean out the gutters I had to pull the current gutter guards off and replace them afterwards. It was a job I worked during the summer too, so it was 90 degrees or hotter every

day I went out.
It was a dirty job too. Pulling cold, wet, rotting leaves and pine needles mixed with asphalt from the shingles out of the gutters by the handful was dreadful. That mixture would get everywhere when we threw it down into a trashcan. Which, more often than not, will splatter and get on your skin, clothes, and the ladder that you have to move often.
At times, the job was dangerous and painful. Climbing around on a roof with no real footing was unsettling; it took me awhile to get used to the feeling. I hit my finger with a hammer a couple of times while nailing down shingles, but it did not take more than a couple times for me to learn to move my hand. Removing the dried dirt and asphalt from my skin was a painful chore. I had to use a soaped-up wet rag and scrub it off which would turn my skin raw.
As much of a painful and tiring job as it is, this was my first real world accomplishment. I was proud to have finally worked since I never participated in any community service event or anything of the sort. I gained a better sense of my work ethic in doing this job. I enjoy hard labor that is rewarding when complete, which has also inspired me to look for more jobs this winter. I am glad I was able to experience the joy of working and earning money before jumping into the real world. It helped me gain the confidence to take more steps and become a productive citizen in our society.