I am a college graduate and I am currently working at a fast-food restaurant.

Before you get your judgie-pants on, let me elaborate. I am not one of "those" students who chose some abstract major and was shocked to find a lack of jobs needing such skills. No, I graduated with a degree in psychology and I plan to start graduate work this fall (and could write another article entirely about my feelings about that). Working in fast food serves as a means of income right now, one that I have grown to enjoy in the past three years. You see, two of the three jobs I've held in my life have been in the fast food industry. Yes, they were my first two jobs, yet I find myself still working in fast food three years later—and, yes, actually enjoying. As of now, though, I do not currently plan on remaining in this field of work. However, that's most definitely not because of a lack of respect for it. In fact, I've met some amazing people through these positions, people I would even consider friends (something I never expected). The plans I have set up simply don't include being your favorite neighborhood carhop for the rest of my days.

If anything, my time in the fast-food industry has taught me a lot about people. As a psychology major and future counselor, I find people really neat. Watching people, talking to people, hearing about people—it all fascinates me. More often than not, though, fast-food workers aren't necessarily seen as people. We're seen as means to an end, existing solely to bring their order to them perfectly the first time. While I do believe that there is a certain level of excellence that should be maintained, I think unrealistic expectations are definitely real. We're people. We have lives outside of our jobs just like everyone else. We deal with family crises, sickness, stress, and everyday life just like everyone else. We make mistakes and get it wrong just like everyone else. For some reason, though, we get chewed out for the smallest mistake, a mistake that may or may not have actually been our fault. Not just that--we're expected to deal with customers' reactions with grace, poise, and a smile. I get it; that comes with the territory. We knew what we were getting into when we chose this job. However, I can guarantee that the lack of pickles on your burger is not going to bring the world to an end. Yes, it's an inconvenience. No one likes inconveniences. Consider this scenario: you get your burger, and it's not exactly how you wanted it. You're ready to let the employee have it. That is, until you realize that the employee you're about to curse out is your sister, your mom, or your best friend. I bet you'd think twice before your response.

The person serving you at your favorite fast-food place is just as much of a person as you are. They're single moms working two other jobs to provide for their kids. They're high school students saving up for a car to ease the burden off their parents. They're college students taking 18 hours on top of working 20+ hours a week. They're human. They aren't gonna get it right all the time. The thing is, neither do you. So, the next time you don't "get it your way," take a minute to think "would I treat someone I care about the same way I'm about to treat this worker?" If the answer is yes, then go ahead. Do it. If it's not, give it a second thought. Your kindness means more than you know.

Thanks for coming, and have a great day!