Returning from a 3 week European adventure
with two of my best friends I am quite sure that I have in fact found myself. I
can’t be 100% sure but I think that ‘myself’ was hiding somewhere between the 3rd
and 4th bar on one particular night out in Prague. This is it, I am
now enlightened to the wonders of the world, I have climbed castles, jumped in
lakes and have flirted (badly) with a blonde Danish medical student. However,
on following a screaming toddler down some Ryanair steps I suddenly become very
aware of the lack of lakes, castles and more importantly, tall scanenavian boys
present at East Midlands airport, or in fact in the wider East Midlands area.
My phone buzzes in my hand I am quite sure
it will be aforementioned boy demanding I fly straight out to Denmark to meet
his family and announce our upcoming engagement…it isn’t. It’s my boss
reminding me I am working the next day and the 6 days following it. Although I hate to admit it an ember of relief
flickers inside me, having taken my credit card on my travels with me it’s
impending statement was weighing heavy on my mind.
I’ve worked part time as a waitress since I
was 15, only stopping briefly when my boss realized I wasn’t strictly supposed to be working at 15 (I
returned a fortnight later with strict instructions to ‘distract with the
specials menu’ if the topic of my age was ever brought up). I can’t say I’ve
loved every moment of it, flashbacks to swearing chefs and flying petite pois
send shivers up my spine. However, I am so grateful that my 15-year-old desire
to make the transition from New Look to Topshop was great enough to pursue a
part time job and it’s minimum wage.
I’m very aware that my job as a waitress
was relatively cushy compared to many teen’s first time jobs, however a job is
a job and, at times, balancing 12 hour working weekends and 12 GCSEs wasn’t
easy. The experience taught me about sacrifice and balance. Sometimes I got
that balance woefully wrong, something multiple hung-over Sunday lunch shifts made
me all too aware of. It also taught me how respect and kindness towards
colleagues of all ages and from all walks of life can open up a world of
friendships that go way beyond shared loathing of certain customers.
Most of all though, my experiences as a
waitress have taught me the value of hard work, and the rewards it can bestow.
Be that a cold glass of rosé after a long shift, a new pair of joni jeans or an
extra five pounds from a couple thrilled to hear of your successful A Level
results. Wherever my career takes me in the future I will take with me the
lessons learned from seemingly never ending Friday nights and will take heart
from the belief that nothing is ever as bad as dropping a steak and ale pie in someone’s
lap.
Iz xxx
