Upon approaching the five week winter break we just returned from, I was excited about no classes, no homework, and the chance to see my family and friends. I wasn’t, however, excited to work. Taking a job as a hostess at a small restaurant named The Gingerman turned out to be one of the best experiences I have ever had.
I walked into the restaurant, not remembering anyone’s name. I awkwardly put my purse on one of the coat hooks and hung my coat over it. I thought about all the tables in an attempt to remember which was which. I had to seat people when they walked in that door and I had absolutely no idea where to put them. I primped my uniform and turned around.
My first day at work was a little rough. I sat a group of people where a reservation was supposed to sit and I dropped and broke a glass in the kitchen. I thought for sure I was going to get fired.
Luckily, I didn’t and although I was not extremely excited about spending every night working, I ended up meeting some lifelong friends and having an invaluable experience.
During my first week one of the servers, Casey, told me, “You have to have to identify at least five interesting facts about yourself to be able to work here.” It was true. I spent every night working with two brothers who could finish each other’s sentences, a law student who could sell anyone wine, a dessert chef who rapped Eminem while he worked, a girl who made sexual harassment seem fun, and a manager who knew everything about everyone. We spent nights having pull-up competitions, rap battles, dance parties, and horoscope readings.
When a forty five year old man wrote into the “Eye Saw You” column of Albany’s Metroland magazine professing his love for one of our servers, we cut out 50 of the clippings and taped them around the entire kitchen. Yeah. We were that kind of close at work.
Coming back to Quinnipiac after this five week break was bittersweet. I was excited for classes to start and happy to see all of my friends again. As it was hard to adjust to working over break, it was as hard if not harder to adjust being back at school. Working over break was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I was able to earn some money that I can now put towards my education, earn a sense of responsibility, and meet a group of people that I believe will be some of my life long friends.
