Ep.4 High School in Australia – Teen Years, Friendships, and Part-Time Jobs

🎙️ Artisue Storypod

Hi everyone, this is Susan from Artisue. Today, I want to share a story from my high school days in Australia —about teenage years, friendships, and my part-time jobs.

I went through quite a strong rebellious phase as a teenager. Honestly, I was kind of obsessed with hip-hop back then. (laughs)I bleached my hair yellow, always wore a bandana, and even changed my school uniform to look like baggy hip-hop pants.I just wanted to look cool… to be that “cool girl”.

Maybe because deep down, I felt trapped.

I never told my friends, but my family wasn’t doing so well.My parents had divorced once and then got back together,but things at home were still shaky.They argued a lot.Looking back now, I think it was because money was tight.It was hard — really hard —but I never wanted anyone to see that.I just wanted to look strong and unbothered.

So, pretending to be cool, I started working part-time when I was 14 and a half.

My first job paid $5.50 an hour.I worked everywhere — Burger King, a clothing factory, even a chicken shop.I don’t think there was ever a time before senior year when I wasn’t working.I never asked my parents for pocket money,and I never went to tutoring or took private lessons.I knew how tight things were at home.

I didn’t really save the money though.I just spent it on food I wanted, or little things that made me happy.That was my version of freedom.

One thing I remember clearly —at school we used to do chocolate fundraisers. And I was really good at selling those. There were about 30 chocolates in a box,and I’d hop on the train and walk up to strangers, smiling, “Would you like to buy some chocolate?” I once read in a book that when you sell something, you should always smile. So I did — every single time.

Looking back, that was my first real sales experience. That’s when I first learned the basics of business —how to talk to people, how to read the room, and how the system of work actually works.

Even though those times were tough, I think that’s what shaped me into who I am today. Those small part-time jobs, the effort, the little lessons —they all built the foundation of who I became later, the person who started Artisue.

At the time, I just wanted to look cool. But now, I can see that every little thing I did was part of growing up —and part of finding myself.

Thank you so much for listening. In the next episode, I’ll share what happened after high school —my college days and how I started finding my own path.

This was Susan from Artisue. See you next time. 🌿