Whether it's food or retail, working with the immediate public isn't fun. And if you've worked or are currently working a job like this then you know exactly what I'm talking about. However, it's not a bad thing at all. In fact, I think everyone should work a job like this at one point or another in their life. I used to work at Village Inn as a host and a waitress. I started there when I was 16 years old. Working there taught me some very valuable lessons that I will forever hold with me into my adulthood.

1. Everyone is an asshole, including myself.

I don't care how great of a waitress or cashier you are. You are going to get yelled at all the time, by every type of person. I've gotten yelled at by moms, grandparents, teenagers, men, women, and even kids. I'm a hypocrite, though. Even though I've been in the same position, I can't help but get mildly annoyed when my food order comes out wrong or when my coupon doesn't work. I know it's not anyone's fault and mistakes happen but I've seen both sides of the frustration. So when I got yelled at, I also understood that it wasn't personal.

2. Sometimes you have to cry in the dish pit to find success

When I first became a waitress, I was horrible at it. It was stressful, very fast-paced, and I wasn't able to keep up. I remember there was a morning where I kept messing up every order and falling behind. There was one middle-aged man who ordered corn beef hash and I messed up his order. The amount of anger in that man was astounding. He immediately yelled at my manager about me and I heard every word. My manager knew I was new to the job and calmly (but stressfully) told me what I was doing wrong. I was so mad and embarrassed at myself for screwing up and ended up running to the dish pit to cry. It was an experience I will never forget. But as time went on I improved a lot and never cried in the dish pit again. But I learned a lot that day.

3. Having a back bone never felt so good

When working in this type of business you learn to deal with some difficult people, not just customers. There were times when I saw bullying between coworkers. After working my first year at Village Inn, I noticed a new confidence in myself. I no longer felt scared to say something when I noticed wrong. No, I wasn't going around picking fights with people but even in my personal life outside of work, I wasn't scared to speak my mind anymore. I also learned the action of accountability. It was easy to hide and blame someone else for my mistakes but then I realized, that just screws everyone else over. It's better to own up to mistakes and take the punishment than to pretend it never happened. That's when communication gets lost and a business fails.

4. I have respect for those who work in these industries

I sometimes yell at my parents when they complain about a waitress because I know what happens behind the kitchen door. I always try to be as respectful as possible to those at a retail store or a restaurant. I also try to tip well every time I go out to eat. Seeing how some people treat waitresses and store clerks is very eye-opening. No one deserves to get yelled at over fries or a coupon. No one should throw a temper tantrum when they get the wrong drink. Some of these employees work these jobs full time and they put up with that crap every day with a smile on their face.

5. You learn so much about people in general

There's trends that I've noticed in people. But every now and then a customer would just confuse me. Why would you continue to go to a restaurant when you constantly complain? To get free food. It's quite shocking to see the lengths some people will go to complain about their service just to get a discount or get something free. It's also shocking to see their attitudes immediately change when they get their way. They go from Satan to an Angel in .5 seconds. And the majority of people don't care what is happening behind the scenes. Your cashier could be grieving over the death of a family member and you would never know. All we care about is getting our groceries and leaving.

6. I know how to talk to a very angry man about his burger

If you know how to handle an angry customer then you better put that as a key strength on your resume. Being able to deal with frustration professionally has been a true lifesaver in any given situation, even outside of work. As long as you remember that their angry is not at you personally.

7. It's given me motivation to find a job I truly love

I do have the upmost respect for everyone who works these jobs, but I never want to end up doing that as a career. I know I'll have to deal with difficult people wherever I go, but ending up at a restaurant or retail chain full time is what I told myself I will never do. I learned so much from working as a waitress but I learned that those types of jobs drain you physically and emotionally. It's further pushed me to get my degree and find a job I truly love.