I began my first job in 2016, during my sophomore year of high school. I applied for the hostess position at a local diner near me and was thrilled to have gotten hired. It is now 2019, and I have been working at this same diner for almost three years. I could have never predicted how valuable of an experience a first job like this would be for me. Through all of the negatives and the positives, I can say that I have learned more than I ever expected I would.

One big thing I learned while working in this industry was how to multitask and how to effectively cope with being overwhelmed. Many times the pace of a restaurant can become extremely busy and may even seem out of control. With time, I adjusted to the concept of being patient, staying positive, and even guiding other co-workers in moments of distress.

Another experience that I hold with me every day is customer interactions that i've had throughout my time there. While I have dealt with my fair share or rude or difficult customers, I have also been lucky to have met some of the nicest people I know to this day. Getting a simple "you're doing a great job, keep up the hard work" or a personalized note from a customer expressing their appreciation for us are truly some of the best moments in my job.

I think of of the most important things that has come from working in this industry is learning how to work with other people in an effective way. The reality is that you aren't going to mesh with or enjoy every single one of your co-workers in life. So when this happens, you need to find ways to work around it which is what i've had a lot of experience with. As frustrating as it can be sometimes, i've realized that this skill can carry over into my personal life which has helped me better handle certain situations.

I am so grateful for the numerous amounts of skills and knowledge i've attained throughout this time, and I believe I have yet to learn more with the time to come.