Catherine Gillis
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 25/00) - For Shaunna Sundberg, work is no joke.

At 17 and living on her own, she says work has become a priority lately so she can pay her bills.

"I've had a hard couple of months financially," she admits, "but I'm getting past that now."

Sundberg, who moved away from home when she was 15, has had to face the reality of adult life at a young age. Currently not in school, Sundberg has had to juggle many responsibilities, including making the monthly rent on the apartment she shares with a roommate.

Sundberg is currently working the full-time graveyard shift at Bruno's Deli and Pizza.

"I was a little nervous when I started, with the late hours and all, but I'm adjusting just fine now," Sundberg says.

Sundberg, despite her young age, is no stranger to the working world.

Past employment includes jobs at Essentials and Wal-Mart. Then there's the time she worked at both Dairy Queen and Sears at the same time so she could pay the rent.

"I like working in busy places, it keeps me on my toes."

Now entering her third week with Bruno's, Sundberg says there are great advantages to working at the restaurant.

"I get to eat free and my co-workers are easy to get along with. The only thing that is hard about this job is the fact that I have to sleep through the day in order to be up for work, and that kind of puts a damper on my social life. I know that I'm going to have to get used to working full-time shifts," she says, adding, "it's a part of growing up I guess."

Working as a cashier isn't the only duty Sundberg takes on at the restaurant. She also takes phone orders, waitresses in the cafe, and performs general duties such as washing dishes and mopping up.

Sundberg's aspirations also include the wish to work in the kitchen as a chef someday.

In the meantime, she enjoys working in a social atmosphere.

"The only thing I don't really like about night work is that the drunks come in after the bars close. But our most regular customers are the police, they come in here all the time, which is great because they calm the rowdy people down at bar close."

"All of our customers are important and most of them are regulars, I am happy to serve them."

Sundberg isn't planning to make a career out of working at Bruno's. "Don't take it the wrong way or anything, I like working here, but I must think about my future, I plan on finishing high school. In the meantime though, this job suits me fine, I might as well make the most of it!"