I was definitely overwhelmed, to say the least, when I first began working as a server at my summer job. I knew prior that the restaurant had a more than exceptional reputation and was often packed wall to wall with hungry customers and social bar-goers. This made me both eager and a little nervous.

After only a few days of training, I was told by my manager that I was ready to begin waitressing on my own. I walked into work on my very first day feeling both optimistic, yet anxious due to my fear of messing up or not being able to deal with the fast-paced hustle of the restaurant.

Day after day, I found that I was able to handle just about anything the job threw at me. I would often find myself extremely swamped with orders and requests that my tables would ask me, but always found my way through the overwhelming nights and crowds.

As time went on, I grew more and more in love with the idea of going to work. The job truly allowed me to embrace my personality and continuously express who I was as an individual. I constantly looked forward to seeing certain customers who I bonded with and also began to see the start of friendships that I had made with certain coworkers.

Reflecting back on my past and even current experiences while working there, I see the immense strength I have gained and growth that has happened in the past year. My social skills have prospered tremendously and I find that I am extremely comfortable when dealing with customers. I remember how I would often second-guess myself, which certainly made me come across a little awkward and unknowledgeable. I have learned to work extremely well and efficiently under pressure, as well as learning the great importance of being well organized.

The skills that I have gained and mastered are all ones that will endlessly benefit my future career and life endeavors. I am certainly a more confident and well-rounded version of myself and feel as if I can do so many things that would typically be outside of my comfort zone.

The education that we gain in school can only teach us so much. I believe the most valuable life lessons are the things we experience through life and through trial and error. I'm honestly not too sure what knowing about the periodic table will do for your future, but what I do know is that certain interactions and constantly growing in your skill-set may, in fact, land you your dream job.

Life is all about challenging and bettering yourself as a person. It's about what we learn through communicating with others who have gained such knowledge through their past endeavors. Objects such as textbooks and iPads do teach you very important information, however, the true key to success lies within yourself and your abilities.