Quite a bit of metal games. Larger department stores might be different due to the size of the staff, but if your manager runs your department like an individual unit ... you might feel this too.

I worked at a store with about 12 employees. (2 managers, 1 store manager, 9 workers)

The managers give the employees a sense of feeling "needed". As if your actions directly impact every second of the day. They give you a sensation of responsibility beyond your pay ... trying to attach you to your position. A job should be only a job, no guilt, no emotions ... just do your best, when you're shift is done, go home.

With retail, it's the exact opposite. The manager will attach personal feelings to the job. This will make you feel "bad" about bailing on bad situations. At some point, it's about helping the manager as individual ... not the store as a whole. For example ...

manager: "I hate closing the store with one other worker ... you're the best at it, and I really need to get home to my family"
worker: *typically feels bad ... and stays*

even though you have school the next morning, what's another hour, right? All of a sudden, the manager is playing mind games. 1) you get individual praise, 2) the situation is now on a personal level.

after years of this ... shit around you starts to suffer. You start dropping classes ... work is more important ... yet, you don't have much money because everything is going towards the "current" fashion season. Retail drains you physically, robs you of opportunities, and leaves you broke.

I went down this road for 4.5 years, realized what was happening (way too late) ... and bailed when my eyes opened up.