(Reflection) Two Worlds, One Schedule: Mitchell, the Mall, and That Parking Notice

The following is not affiliated with Westfield Mall in any capacity, nor with any stores located in Westfield. The photo below was captured in the Fashion District and is shared solely for entertainment purposes.

So here's the thing about my life right now. I run a corporate team at Westfield, I'm 27, and on paper that sounds like the whole story. It isn't. The part that actually matters most to me happens before I ever clock in. That's the part with Mitchell.

Mitchell is special needs. I'm his caretaker, both in the official, paperwork-signing sense and in the way that doesn't fit on any form. People ask me sometimes if it's hard, and yeah, sure, some days are. But honestly? Being his caretaker is one of the best things I've ever gotten to do. I don't say that to sound noble. I say it because it's true, and because I think folks have a strange idea about what a kid like Mitchell brings into a room.

He brings everything. He notices stuff the rest of us blow right past. The way light hits the floor. A song he likes coming on three stores down. He's got this laugh that just resets my whole nervous system. And right now we're in the middle of a big shift for him. He's transitioning into a preschool homeschool setting, which is a fancy way of saying we're building his little world piece by piece, at his pace, in a space where he feels safe.

That transition is delicate. New routines can throw him. So we go slow. We celebrate small wins like they're championship trophies, because for Mitchell, they kind of are. Learning to point at what he wants. Sitting through a story. Getting comfortable with a new face. I show up for that with the same seriousness I bring to any boardroom, maybe more. He deserves my best version, not my leftover energy.

And that's exactly why structure matters so much to me. When your morning is built around a kid who needs predictability, you start guarding your time and your patience like they're currency. Which, weirdly, brings me to the mall.

Because in other news at the mall, pretend the holiday season is upon us. And every associate, every store manager, every poor soul who's done a December here knows the feeling. You get the notice. The holiday parking notice. The email that says, with all the corporate cheer it can muster, that you will no longer be parking near your workplace. You'll park out in the far lot, the one that feels like it's in a different time zone, and you'll ride the shuttle in.

Let me tell you, guys, nothing tests a workforce like that shuttle.

You can feel the mood change. Nobody's gonna storm into HR about it. That's not how it works. It comes out sideways. The slightly too-long sigh in the break room. The "must be nice" comment when someone parks close because of a doctor's note. The petty competition over who got the good shuttle versus the one that smells like wet carpet. It's subtle. It's also, let's be honest, a little aggressive. People hold onto that parking spot like it's the last shred of dignity in a 12-hour shift, and when you take it, something quietly curdles.

I get it. I really do. After being on your feet all day, the last thing you want is a hike and a shuttle wait in the cold. The walk feels like a small insult on top of an already long day. And when management's the one sending that notice, you become the face of the inconvenience whether you like it or not.

But here's where I have to switch hats, the formal one, the manager one. Because the reasoning behind it isn't cruelty. It's math, and it's survival.

The holiday season is the season. It's the stretch that carries a lot of these stores through the whole year. And shoppers, the ones spending the money that keeps the lights on and the paychecks coming, they are not patient. If a customer circles the lot three times and can't find a spot, they don't park farther out and shuttle in like we do. They just leave. They drive to the place that's easier. That lost sale is gone forever.

So when we ask employees to take the far lot, we're not punishing anybody. We're clearing the close spots for the people whose wallets keep this whole operation alive. It's a sacrifice, and I won't pretend it isn't. We're asking the team to trade comfort for the customer's convenience, because the customer's convenience is, bluntly, what funds the comfort the rest of the year.

The trick, the thing I try to actually do, is name it honestly. Don't dress it up. Tell people straight: yeah, this stinks, and here's why we're asking. Respect goes a long way against that quiet resentment.

And funny enough, that's the same lesson Mitchell teaches me every morning. You don't manage people, or love people, by pretending the hard parts aren't hard. You show up, you tell the truth, and you give your best self to whoever's in front of you.

Even if you had to ride the shuttle to get there.

Essay Prompt

The holiday season at the mall is a bustling, intense time where spaces grow tight, schedules are packed, and expectations run high. Imagine that you are an employee working at a popular retail store in the mall during this period, and you receive a corporate directive instructing all staff to park in the outer lot and use the shuttle service to get to work. The purpose of this rule is to make more parking spaces available for holiday shoppers, prioritizing their experience and convenience.

Reflect on the ethical and practical implications of this directive. Would you follow the mandate to park in the outer lot and take the shuttle to your job? Why or why not? Consider factors such as your values, personal convenience, respect for rules, and the broader goal of enhancing the customer experience. Feel free to address the following questions in your response:

• How do you balance personal inconvenience with the collective benefit of providing easier access for customers?

• Do you believe that adhering to company policies, even at a personal cost, is a responsibility of employees? Why or why not?

• What role does transparency and honesty, as mentioned in the earlier passage, play in how you would respond to such an instruction?

• How would your actions reflect your professional attitude and integrity in the workplace?

Write a comprehensive essay, providing clear reasoning and personal anecdotes or examples if applicable. Your response should explore the complexities of this decision and show thoughtful engagement with the prompt's themes. Aim to support your stance with evidence and analysis, focusing on how empathy, responsibility, and truth-telling might influence your choice.

The Importance of Truth and Integrity in the Workplace

When it comes to deciding whether or not to follow a given instruction in the workplace, the choice can be super tricky. It’s not just about doing what you’re told; it’s also about staying true to your values, being honest, and thinking about how your decisions affect others. If I were in a situation where I had to question an instruction, my response would depend on how it aligns with my responsibilities and what I know is right.

Firstly, being truthful is super important because trust is kind of the backbone of any good workplace. If I were asked to do something that I knew was wrong, like fudging data or ignoring safety rules, I’d have to speak up. Imagine the long-term consequences if people find out about shady practices — it could ruin the company’s reputation, and I would feel awful knowing I played a part in that. Plus, not telling the truth could have real consequences for coworkers, customers, or even the public.

That said, questioning authority doesn’t mean being rude or rebellious. And tbh, keeping a professional attitude is key. If I had doubts about an instruction, I’d try to approach my manager respectfully and explain my concerns. Like, for example, if I thought something could be unsafe, I’d bring it up calmly and ask if there's another way to handle it. Most people appreciate honesty when it’s done respectfully.

I think empathy also plays a huge role here. Before refusing to follow an instruction, I’d try to understand where the other person is coming from. Maybe they’re under a lot of pressure or don’t have all the info they need to see the risks. Helping them see things from another perspective can lead to a better solution without having to break any rules or compromise my integrity.

There’s a specific time when I saw this play out in a small way at my part-time job. Once, my supervisor asked me to skip checking IDs for alcohol sales during a super busy shift to speed things up. I felt weird about it because, duh, that’s totally illegal. Instead of saying no flat-out, I explained that getting caught could result in fines or losing our liquor license. My supervisor was stressed but thanked me later for sticking to the rules because it avoided bigger problems down the line.

At the end of the day, standing up for what’s right isn’t always easy, especially if people don’t agree with you. But sticking to your values — while still being professional and empathetic — not only helps you grow as a person but also creates a workplace culture where people can trust each other. Even though I’m still learning and making mistakes, I know that practicing integrity now will prepare me for bigger challenges later in life.