By ROMAINE WILLIAMSON
Contributing Writer
With the dream of being an independent person, she started working since her senior year of high school, originally from Schenectady about 25 minutes away from The College of Saint Rose. Brandy Toler said the main reason why she got a job at the time that she did was because she wanted her own car, before she started college. She got a job at The Melting Pot, a restaurant at the Crossgates Mall, as a server and Toler now still works at the same spot, and still holds her post as a server.
Having accomplished her first goal (buying a car), she said she still keeps a job because she wants to be independent and wants her own money for personal use. Toler says she now drives to work. During the semester, she says she works three days and up to 10 or 12 hours on weekends and works up to five or six days a week during holidays. Toler said some interesting things that happened at work are, from customers asking questions that no one has the answer to and also dropping plates, food and slipping in the kitchen is like a part of the job.
Toler is now a 20 year old junior at Saint Rose and majoring in Graphic Design. She lives off campus on Myrtle Avenue, about a 12 minute walk and three minute drive from the College. She said after she earns her degree, she would like to be a graphic designer in New York or Boston. Starting out she said she expects her annual salary somewhere between $35,000, 45,000 which is not a lot but she would be doing something she love.
Toler also said before coming to Saint Rose, she applied to New Haven in Connecticut and got in. She said after attending an acceptance dinner she got her package in the mail and after seeing what she would have to pay she turned it down. Toler said Saint Rose offered a better package, it costed less and she was not far from home. Jennifer Lagrossi, also a junior at Saint Rose, said she has been friends with Toler since they were kids.
“She’s super nice and has a great sense of humor,” Lagrossi said. She also said “Ive helped her with a couple art projects and we used to go to chipotle all the time but now our schedules don’t match so we hardly see each other but she loves to have fun anywhere we went.”
Toler grew up in Schenectady and graduated from the Mohanesen High school. As a freshman in high school, she fell in love with basketball. But after playing for a year, she quickly lost her love for the game and joined the school band where she played clarinet and alto saxophone and also tenor saxophone. She still has love for music, and when asked if she’s still a member of any band, Toler said “no, I’m not in a band anymore unfortunately.”
Sabrina Hamilton, who is also a junior at the College, said that Toler is easy going and so chill, she also said that she is very understanding and is always smiling and that’s one of the things she likes most about her. She said they didn’t do much together but “oh don’t know of any experience we had that was interesting besides making snapchat stories together,” Hamilton said. Toler believes what makes her different is because “I have a creative mind when it comes to art and a good sense of design.”
“I remember Brandy being the first person to train me at The Melting Pot. Although the restaurant was very hectic Brandy seemed at ease and did not let her tables know she was under high stress due to the busy environment.” Megan Tucker said. She also said “she was also highly instructive and knowledgeable about becoming a server at The Melting Pot. As time went on, Brandy opened up to me and I realized how funny and sweet she was as not only a co-worker but as a friend.”
