One of the biggest differences between being in high school and being in college can be found within the lengthened hours of the average summer day. In high school, my summers were filled with mostly leisurely activities (think tennis practices, beach trips, shopping trips, day-long Netflix binges, etc.).
But now that I have completed a full year of college, I've noticed a few changes in my summer plans. Mainly, I feel the pressure to make use of my time by creating my own source of income. While talking with friends, I've noticed they also feel this need to "bring home the bacon." Some of us are saving up for big-ticket items and expensive trips; some of us just need money for gas. Some of us just want some financial security in the fall once classes make working more difficult. Whatever the reason, the leisurely summers of my youth seem to be long gone and "adulting" has become the new summer activity.
Whatever you choose to do in order to earn an income, we all have something to learn about ourselves and our futures in these summer jobs. Oddly enough, for me, I have learned way more than expected in just three short weeks of being a waitress at a local deli.
These 14 things have all become very evident after I began my journey as a waitress.
1. People are very particular about their food
Never mark that a customer wants his burger done medium well and bring them a bleeding burger. After a long series of complaints that "this burger is still mooing," this is a mistake you will only make once. Do not drop the food on the table if the order isn't 100% correct.
2. Multitasking is a necessary skill
If you can't remember a drink order for a six-top, clear a table, remember to restock napkins, and check on that order of extra crispy sweet potato fires all at once... give up on your dreams of waiting tables. Working as a waiter/waitress is a job that requires a mastery of multitasking and, although you'll do better to come into the job with this skill, it can be learned.
3. Nothing is more satisfying than collecting a stack of tips
After a long shift of running around with stacks of extra napkins, your arms precariously stacked with plates of food, nothing sounds better than kicking off your ketchup-stained shoes and taking an extra-long nap. Nothing, that is, except collecting the day's tips. Some days are more satisfying than others, but you learn to take what you can get and appreciate the fact that you have a job at all.
4. Working in a restaurant can be like a game of dodgeball
Bouncing around, taking orders and refilling drinks can be difficult on its own. When you add two or three other waiters/waitresses, the task becomes even more dicey. One wrong move and you could find yourself covered in chicken salad, dish water, ice cubes, or, the worst, a hot pot of coffee.
Luckily enough, most coworkers can sense when you aren't paying full attention and will give a warning of "squeezing behind you" or "coming through" to avoid such disasters. Just hope that your hearing doesn't fail you...and neither does all of your middle-school dodgeball training.
5. Teamwork really does make the dream work
Like I said before, working in a restaurant is a lot of work. It is so much work that it would be impossible for any one person to do it all on their own. I've learned that efficient and constant communication with fellow waitresses and kitchen staff alike can make any shift run much smoother.
In the end, friendly and fast service is something that anybody enjoys when going out to eat. If you find yourself stuck in the middle of clearing a table when a huge 8-top is ready to be dropped, you drop what you're doing and help. The same goes for the kitchen staff. If a plate looks wrong, you want a good relationship with the person behind the grill so you don't get nasty looks for asking to change it. Everybody's happy, things run smoothly, and your tips start to rack up.
6. You really will bond with coworkers over a plate of someone else's food
Ensuring that customers are satisfied with their dining experience can be a daunting task during a lunch rush. This only gets worse when a super-complicated order (I'm looking at you, "BLT with no lettuce, tomato, mayo, or bread but can you make sure that the bacon is extra crispy and can I add pimento cheese, chicken salad, only crinkle cut french fries on the side with ranch and extra ketchup, and do you serve ice cream?") comes out completely wrong. The struggle of dealing with complicated orders under the pressure of a huge lunch rush can really bring servers together.
7. You may have more pet peeves than you realize
Sitting at a dirty table. Adding a side of every condiment known to man. Stuffing napkins into a full cup of water. Allowing small children to draw on the table. Leaving a $5 tip...in change. Yeah, you aren't as easygoing as you thought. Just take a deep breath and smile because "the customer is always right."
8. Time really is money
Nobody wants to wait twenty minutes just to get drinks. Nobody wants to wait another twenty to order. Absolutely nobody wants to be served cold food. If you want a good tip, make sure that every glass is full and every order is in ASAP. Your sanity and wallet will thank you at the end of your shift.
9. Yes, you can be a social person
Okay, this one may pertain more to me as an individual. However, I have learned that even the most introverted of people can be transformed for 6 to 8 hours when they're around the right people. Smiling, laughing, and talking with customers not only makes their experience better but your experience.
Connecting with coworkers is crucial for the efficiency of a restaurant but connecting with customers can make the experience all the worthwhile for your own mental wellbeing. Sure, you're tired and your feet ache at the end of the day but the smile on a little boy's face when you bring him a Mickey Mouse pancake on his 8th birthday or the smile on the face of the elderly man whose milkshake you served makes it all worth it.
10. You will not have time to eat
This one took some getting used to. While you're up and running food to hungry customers, you will have no time to feed yourself. Every restaurant is different and some may give a break. Even then, you may get so busy and caught up in what you are doing that your shift is over before you realize that your stomach is begging you to swipe a handful of those extra fries on the counter. Needless to say, lunch at 4 PM and dinner at 6 PM has become part of my weekday routine and I am okay with that.
11. Doing little things can make all the difference
Whether it's bringing a to-go box to the patio to be used as a dog bowl, carefully arranging blueberries on a smiley-face pancake, or just holding the door open, the little things can really make somebody's day...even yours!
12. You can hold more things at once than you think
Remember the days when you thought you'd never be able to balance more than one plate in each hand? Or cradle more than three cups at a time? Yeah, me neither.
13. You will get hit on
And it won't always be desirable. Sometimes you have those older customers that think they can get away with it. As long as they keep their comments innocent and their hands to themselves, just smile and tell yourself "they'll be gone soon and if I play along they might tip well."14. You are a superhero
And the apron you wear is your cape. You know exactly what I mean! How many times have you gone to a restaurant, absolutely starving, and your server made sure to get your food to you as soon as they possibly could and then continue to check on you, refilling drinks, grabbing napkins, and whatever else you may need. Yeah, that was a great dining experience. Guess what? As a waiter/waitress, you are now in the position to be that person. Use your powers wisely.
