I, like many people my age, have done a brief stint as a barista. It wasn’t my first job, but it was my first job in the service industry, and let me tell you, it was nothing like what I expected. For some reason, I was under the impression that being a barista would be a glamorous, fun job. I dreamt of unlimited access to free drinks and playful banter with regular customers (and possibly a workplace romance because hey, I’m an idealist). I don’t know why I thought this would be the case, because in retrospect, I should have known better. Long story short, during my time as a barista, I was physically and emotionally exhausted, constantly covered in syrup, and had to leave five months into the job because I developed tendinitis in both my wrists. Glamorous, my ass.

However, I left that job a completely different person than I was before. I felt more confident, self-sufficient, and capable. That being said, despite some of my less-than-fond sentiments toward my old job, I learned several universal truths during my time as a barista––truths I think everyone should take into account.

1. Being a barista is really hard.

Seriously. You guys have no idea. I had no idea, going into this job, just how labor-intensive it was going to be. Not only do you have to have the physical skill and stamina to move at a road-runner pace for hours straight, you have to have the mental capacity to memorize hundreds of recipes and focus on three, sometimes four tasks at a time. Essentially, you have to be a superhero to perform well at this job. This applies to any job in the service industry, really, but I have a special feeling of solidarity and respect for any and all baristas out there. Which brings me nicely to my next point:

2. The service industry is totally screwed.

The way service workers are expected to perform is beyond horrifying. Most companies in the industry expect employees to stand for hours on end, with minimal time to rest. Many workplaces even have a strict no-leaning policy, which means that any employee caught leaning against a surface would be subject to reprimand. I was lucky enough to have an understanding boss and coworkers who understood when a fellow employee needed a second to rest in the back, but most employees elsewhere are not so lucky. Being held to such an unrealistic standard is suffocating, and detrimental to the health of service workers everywhere. Look at me––my body physically broke down just five months into the job, and I was only eighteen years old when this happened. It’s absurd to me that even for someone young and healthy, working less than 40 hours a week, the conditions of the job were too intense to handle physically. It’s clear to me that this industry, much like the system of capitalism, is a broken one.

3. The customer is not always right.

In fact, they’re pretty much always wrong. But boy, do they not think so. For some reason, all customers believe you are incompetent, know nothing, and that they can do your job better than you can. And there’s nothing you can do about it but smile until they go away, or pray to god your manager rescues you so you can cry in the back room. So please, for the love of god, stop talking down to people who are just trying to do their job. They know what they’re doing, and are probably actively fighting the urge to spit in your drink.

4. People aren’t inherently bad.

Despite all of the terrible, terrible people I served, there were also a handful that were kind of wonderful. It was always a joy to see a customer’s face light up when I gave them a compliment, or even just made small talk. Beyond that, so many people went out of their way to be kind to me. It could be as simple as telling me they liked my makeup, or as incredible as leaving a $5 tip after purchasing one drink. However, my favorite interactions were the smallest ones: making a stupid mistake and peering over the glass to see another customer not laughing at me, but with me, or getting an empathetic glance or two during a rush. It was easy to get in a bad mood on the job, and those small moments reassured me that people could still be good.

Lastly, and I believe, most importantly:

5. Always tip your servers.

I shouldn’t have to elaborate. Please, people. Just tip your servers.

In all honesty, there are things I do miss about my job. My coworkers were wonderful, and making drinks was, actually, pretty fun. It all comes down to the job itself. Being a barista is a grueling line of work, and ultimately, I wasn’t cut out for it. I believe that baristas are the foundation of our culture, and without them, society would crumble. They deserve nothing but our gratitude and utmost respect.

So, to any and all baristas out there: I salute you. Your ability to pump out drinks at the speed of light, put up with terrible customers, and make it look like you weren’t just sobbing in the break room never fails to astound me. Keep fighting the good fright.