So. Here we are in the midst of a pandemic. Something I’ve always read about but never truly thought that I would experience. My favorite genre of books are YA apocalyptic novels so I really have read about this a lot.

If you are looking for a worst case scenario book recommendation I HIGHLY recommend ‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St. John Mandel. It is an excellent book and reminds me that even in our darkest days we can continue to positively effect each other with the Arts now and long after we are gone.

But aside from the fantasy/sci-fi book nerdiness, I’m also on the front lines of this pandemic considering I’m a cashier at one of the countries largest retail stores, wearing that red and khaki proudly.

This means two things for me immediately.

1. I still have a job and for that I am SO grateful.

2. I cannot quarantine myself from the general population but that means that I must quarantine myself from those that I love (besides my husband, sorry babe).

Friends and Family, it’s been real. I didn’t connect the dots that I would be exposing myself on a daily basis which means that I shouldn’t come see you. I should have come to see everyone before the virus came to our city but now that it’s here I have to stay away from you and you have to stay away from me. I hate that part of this situation but I would hate it more if you or someone you love got severely sick because of me.

I wish I could just quarantine like everyone else and not worry about being exposed but as it is I need this job and I can’t afford to stop going to work.

So here are my tips from a cashier about going shopping in a pandemic:

1. Don’t go shopping. No matter how careful you think you are being, it’s not working. You are touching stuff that other people have touched and you are breathing air that other people are breathing. Shop online or through a service like Shipt or InstaCart or do curbside pick up at your local stores.

2. If you must go shopping - Be extra kind to the people who are working. They wish they were at home with their loved ones not putting themselves and their families at risk too.

3. Do not complain about the stores being empty. Make do with what is available. We are all doing the best we can and complaining to your cashier brings down the vibe and doesn’t serve anyone. We all know the shelves are empty. If we could do anything about it we would. Trust me if we could have our shelves fully stocked all day every day we would - it would be better for business. However that’s not a reality. Production lines are slowing down across the globe which means supply is down and all the sudden in March we have had higher demand than at Christmas time. Supply is low. Demand is high. This equals empty shelves.

4. If you are looking for something in particular go to the store as close to opening time as possible. That is the best chance of finding something in stock. The store I work at has had toilet paper everyday but has also been sold out by at least 11am everyday. As they say, the early bird gets the worm.

5. It also helps to be extra nice to the employees. If you see someone stocking the shelves you can ask them if they have something in particular in the back. But trust me - the nicer you are to these people the more they will want to help you. Also your cashier is not the person to ask - they do not work in the back of the store. Find someone who is already walking around.

6. When you are ready to check out please actually be ready to check out. If you are still deciding on certain items, don’t get in line yet. If you are still scanning items in your cart to see if there are any offers, don’t get in line yet. With fewer cashiers (we get sick and have to stay home too) the lines will be long and you don’t want to be the person holding up the line. Don’t be that person.

7. On that note please decide what food you want while you are in the food section and put things you don’t want back where they belong by yourself. If you take cold food out of the refrigerators or freezers and then change your mind and give it to your cashier while you are checking out, guess what, we have to throw it away. I cannot begin to tell you how much food I have seen go in the trash because people were indecisive. Please decide in the food section and put it back where it belongs.

8. And finally Be Kind to your cashiers. We are putting ourselves at risk not only to feed our own families but also to serve yours. We are already touching all of the items you are purchasing so please don’t freak out if we need to touch your credit card to make it work in the machine or if our hands touch each other when we are passing off bags and receipts. Stay Calm, Stay Kind, and wash your hands when you get home.

I hope you found these tips helpful!

Shoppers, do you have any other questions or comments? Ask me anything in the comments.

Cashiers, do you have any other tips? Let me know in the comments.