“TO BE A PARTNER.”
What does that even mean?
Middle School
Back in middle school, I told myself that my first job would be at Starbucks. Fast forward five years, and here I am. Every day, I am eager to come in to work, and that is an understatement. Coffee is certainly not a passion of mine, but being a barista has taught me a lot: the value of hard work, true patience, genuine kindness, stellar customer service, and real world soft skills.
Valuing Your Time
I never did get a chance to truly value my time in high school. I did not realize that the lessons from my medical program teacher and mentor would come in handy now. I should have tried to soak in more at the time and take advantage while I still could. Everyone is right when they say that high school cannot possibly prepare you for real life, but I did not go to a regular school. I went to East Career and Technical Academy, an institution that provided me the necessary skills, support and mindset for reality. This may all sound exaggerated, but that is far from the truth. It has recently dawned on me that I had (and have) the potential of doing whatever it is I set my mind to. Courses required for graduation do not compare to the lesson you learn from going through the transition of being a high school student to a working college student.
A Journey
Everyone has their own unique and personal experience from working at Starbucks, but luckily, mine has been a surprisingly pleasant journey. I love interacting with customers, regulars, tourists and most of all, my coworkers. Living in Las Vegas has made adapting to various backgrounds and characters much easier, but going to work is how I really soaked it all in. Starbucks provides opportunity, hope and a chance to develop yourself. That also holds true virtually for any job, occupation, profession and position. It all comes down to what you do with whatever you have. It is solely up to you whether to make working a routine or nurture the possibility of blossoming as a better employee and human being. There is a fine line between a job and a career, and only you can decide where to draw that line.
