😐 RBF Chronicles

They thought I was angry. Truth was, I was just hungry.

Apparently, my face has been terrorizing people for years.
Friends kept pointing out that I have RBF — resting bitch face. Managers said I looked “too fierce.” Customers left feedback that I should “smile more.” One even blamed my horoscope. Truth is, I wasn’t angry at anyone. Most of the time, I was just thinking about food.

I didn’t think much when I chose to work part-time in the service industry. Waitressing felt like Student Part-Time 101.

First job? My manager told me a customer wrote that I “should smile more.” Another one said I looked “too fierce.”
Translation: I was too relaxed with my facial muscles, completely unaware of how much my face apparently affects my “performance.”

Second job, same feedback — except this time my manager even threw in my horoscope as the reason for my “unfriendliness.” Imagine that. As if the stars decided I wasn’t cut out for customer service. Truth is, I was just a bad cashier at small talk, fakery, and upselling.

For a people pleaser, that hurt. I never thought I seemed rude or unfriendly — when in reality, all I did was nervously laugh at everything. But I learned to keep in mind: smile more, manage my tone, control the frown.

By my first full-time job, I got lucky. The company sent me to countless service courses. And surprisingly, I loved them. I found service fascinating once it stopped being about fake smiles and became about real skills.

Still, even after “perfecting” my service face, I slip up. My colleagues call me out: my RBF is strong. My eyes alone carry my whole expression. If I’m frowning — trust me, everyone notices.

But here’s the truth: when my face looks serious, I’m not angry. I’m usually just thinking about food.
What’s for lunch? Dinner? Supper? Snack? The more focused I look, the more intense my “angry face” gets. To everyone else, I look like I’m about to scold someone. In reality, I’m just hangry, not hostile.

And now with masks? Perfect. The only visible part of my face is my eyes — my most expressive feature.
🤣 Apparently, my eyes can do all the talking my mouth doesn’t.