Most college kids find summer jobs, but few have the chance to work on a commercial farm when they go home. For as long as I can remember, I've spent my summers outside, working alongside my family to provide fresh food for those in the Appalachian mountains. This summer, in particular, I’ve learned a few things from the fields that have served me well and will continue to throughout college and the rest of my life. Here are the most important lessons that I’ve gleaned from my time as a tomato farmer:

You get out what you put in.

Nothing is more satisfying than seeing your hard work pay off. Whether its harvesting the tomatoes off of the plants you raised from seed, or getting an A on a test, if you put in effort, then your effort will be returned.

There is a fine line between being efficient and laziness.

We're all told as children not to take the easy way out. Sometimes, however, working smarter is better than working harder. I’ve learned that it’s important to examine your process and improve upon it. This applies to studying, test-taking, planting plants, and picking produce. Strike a balance between quality and time, and make sure you don’t sacrifice one for the other.

Be Neighborly.

This one may not seem as obvious as the first two, but it is still an important lesson, nonetheless. Working on the farm this summer, I’ve dealt with my fair share of customers looking to buy produce, many only visiting the mountains for the summer. Greeting folks politely and being respectful goes a long way.

My final, and probably most important lesson is this:

Drink Water.

It goes without saying, water is important. Drink a lot of it (especially when you're doing hard work outside in the heat).

These are the most important things that I have learned from the fields, and these are the things that will be in the back of my mind as I enter into my next semester of college, ready to work hard.