The Weekend Hustle: Running on Caffeine and Patience

As the weekend kicks off, I’m reminded of old friends, people who are no longer with us, a scene I used to hang out in, and staying up for days at a time with just a few naps in between. Good ole Movement Detroit. It always brings the most interesting people, and the people-watching is next level.

The last few years, I’ve just worked through it. The friends I used to hit the afterparties with have moved away—or were part of a time where all I did was work and try to keep up with that scene. I wasn’t really doing anything else with my life. When I decided to go back to school, I had to pick between that and going out all the time. I wasn’t strong enough back then to show up and leave when I should’ve. The FOMO was real. So I just cut it off and stayed away.

Right now, I can hear the music from my apartment. It pulls me back to those people. Some I don’t speak to at all anymore. One or two I’ll exchange a message with now and then. A few I still talk to regularly. And there’s one who’s no longer with us—someone who always made me feel safe when they were around.

There’s some sadness in not seeing those people anymore. But at the same time, I’m not sad. The ones who were really my friends—they never stopped caring. Even when I vanished off the face of the Earth, they were still rooting for me. They’re the ones I still talk to.

This weekend stirs up a lot. Some memories are good, some not so much. But every single one shaped who I am now.

Wish me luck as I get my butt absolutely kicked by this weekend’s chaos: the Tigers are at home, Movement is in full swing, The Weekend is here Saturday and Sunday, and there’s some kind of Jamaican food fest happening in the Belt—right next to my job.

So here we go—one of the busiest weekends of the year. While everyone else is out cheering on the Tigers, dancing in Hart Plaza, losing their minds over The Weeknd, and stuffing their faces with jerk chicken, I’ll be at work… repeating myself, answering “Is there a bathroom?” for the 400th time, and trying not to snap when a customer gets rude—especially when I’ve been running on barely any sleep.

Honestly? I’ll be running on caffeine, stress, and sheer willpower. But hey, at least I won’t be waking up on someone’s couch wondering where my other shoe is. Growth, right?

Let’s get through it.