A little over a year ago, I would never have imagined the impact working in the restaurant industry would have on my development as a professional. I came into it with the mindset that it's a part-time job for me to make money for my college expenses. Not everyone has the luxury of interning at a Big 4 accounting firm or some Fortune 500 company, and the burning question I ask is: is it always a luxury in the first place? The restaurant industry, specifically mom-and-pop businesses, is the perfect example of getting down and dirty, and whipped into shape for the real world. It isn't always as clear-cut as corporate jobs like to portray, and if you plan on dealing with many people from different backgrounds, I encourage you to consider the reasons why I thank my first job in the industryfor aiding in my personal development.

1. Thank you for putting on the pressure.

Minutes after my interview, I was on the floor with the manager as the hostess. It wasn't just making a floor plan and sitting people. I had to react to problems quickly and calmly. The importance of customer service is at an all-time high at a restaurant, especially when customers are just coming home from work and dragging their cranky children into the place so someone--for once--can prepare their meals and clean them up afterwards. Their emotions are going full force, and the waitstaff, hostess, and management will be sure to hear about it. I was forced to think and act quickly on my feet, and I know for a fact that whatever career I choose, I will use the communication skills I managed to build there. I know I can perform under white hot pressure.

2. Thank you for challenging how I work with others.

There are not enough group projects in the world centered around PowerPoint and team building that can truly prepare you for working with a diverse group of people like a restaurant can. You work so closely with the staff that you become a big, happy, yet dysfunctional family. Needless to say, I wouldn't have it any other way. You are forced to swallow your pride sometimes and deal with the emotions of customers as well as your fellow employees. Everyone has a role, and they are working a mile a minute in order to fulfill that duty. It gets hectic, to say the least. From age gaps to cultural differences, we must find a way to reach an understanding with one another and to work as a team, rather than as opponents. I'm lucky enough to be working with three of my best friends, and the chemistry is what gives customers comfort in what the business stands for--delivering a home-style experience with excellent quality.

3. Thank you for exemplifying quality management.

I cannot really think of many examples where employees work so closely with management like in a restaurant. There is always room for improvement, sure, but to be able to feel comfortable asking for advice--and receiving a genuine response--is something so rewarding. The three men I have worked under have experienced the real world, of which I have only touched the surface, and I have so much to learn from them. They have turned a small business into a huge name in our area, and I find that to be remarkable. Creating their own relationships with the customers is exactly what keeps people coming back. A business fails when management denies problems, rather than admitting to them and making a real effort to fix them. A good manager maintains the best workers and confronts the poor ones, motivates the staff to produce a quality experience, and allows for a comfortable environment. This is seen first hand in the restaurant, and it is a huge asset to any company.

4. Thank you for showing me real respect.

With being around so many different human emotions and the intense environment of a Friday night during Lent at an Italian restaurant, you endure a lot of stress as a worker. Rather than becoming bitter, you tend to understand all the difficulties of working in this industry and others, like retail. You sympathize with the workers you encounter at other places. When a waiter makes a honest mistake when you are out on your day off, you don't take it out on them and under-tip. You don't complain when the delivery time for your pizza is longer than usual during prime-time because you have seen pizza-men slaving over that counter every Friday night for a year now. You respect the little things (that are actually big things) that people do to provide you a service, and that is gratifying in and of itself.

5. Thank you for giving me confidence.

You truly grow as a person when you are thrown into any environment you are not used to, and the ability to adapt to such an environment is how you define your character. I never considered myself a confident person until my time at the restaurant, where I finally felt comfortable communicating to others. It is so satisfying to have customers remember you when they return and compliment you to management. To know you made a difference in their experiences and gave them a good night out is very rewarding. You never know what these people are really dealing with and what life has thrown at them, so a simple night of good food, good drinks, and good people is more than what we make it out to be. I've learned not to take that for granted, and my eagerness to learn and grow, as well as my progress thus far, has given me so much internal strength.

For all of this, I am thankful for my experience, and I encourage people to experience it at least once. You will grow, be humbled, and enjoy the process.