From Zero to Slightly More than Zero

   This lax environment afforded me an opportunity to set myself apart from my fellow employees by maintaining a modicum of professionalism. I buckled down and acted like a sensible adult, for once. Schedules were gospel, the T-shirts and shorts stayed in the closet while I was in the office, and hangovers were saved for the weekends - the more conspicuous ones, at least. The big boy pants remained firmly belted from nine to five, sometimes beyond. 

   Remarkably, I survived. Even more astonishing was the fact that I was beginning to enjoy this rat race. By going above and beyond the call of duty, I was winning the favor of my superiors. Recommendations soon followed. I was making connections and getting places. This was a game, and I was winning. Fun. 

   I could have taken advantage of how laid-back this workplace was by letting the pants sag and fudging my way to each paycheck. Instead, I spun things in my favor by setting myself apart. Sure, my summer would have been a bit more enjoyable had I decided to cling to the lowest few rungs of the ladder throughout the gig, but the workaholic (or masochist, depending on how you want to look at it) in me prevailed. My reward? I was called back two months later to a shorter, sweeter, and slightly better-paying assignment. Upward mobility, baby. 

   If you choose to be a slacker, don't despair. There will still be a place for you. Most of the stragglers were actually called back along with me. 

   They hauled the corpses of overworked editors out of the Final Cut studio.