Would you like fries with that? by Danielle

Would you like fries with that? by Danielle - October 2013 Scholarship Essay

Hard work is an understatement for the restaurant business. I worked at Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks for about 8 months before I decided to resign and tutor biology for my source of income, and those 8 months were physically and emotionally straining. At first it was exciting since I had just turned 16 and got myself a first job, but receiving a check after two weeks can be disappointing when you’re only making minimum wage; at which point I had really learned the value of a dollar. So, I requested to my managers that I become a bus-girl because they make a percentage of the waiter’s tips. They scoffed at the idea and denied my request, but I was persistent and began busing tables when the host stand was slow, so—finally after a month or so of my constant multi-tasking—they decided having a girl busser would not be the end of the world, considering I had proved I could handle all of the job’s responsibilities. But I would soon discover the job really was designed for a man. I gained a lot of muscle due to the amount of lifting I did, but I also developed back and shoulder pain, all for a measly twenty dollars more a night. I held up this pace for months and months, even past the summer into the school year, but then I started only receiving shifts on Friday and Saturday nights because they hired more male bussers. I was missing out on football games, team BBQs, soccer sleepovers, and my young adult life. Time was flying past, while I was busy bending over backwards to try and make a dollar. At that point I handed in my two weeks, realizing I would rather use my brain than my brawn to make a buck.