Outshine by Nat Dixon
Photography
Home Away From Home by Jacob Mendez
College Essay
Apart from my grades, courses, and test scores, my dedication to work also defines me. When I first turned sixteen I applied to the waitstaff position at a senior living home. This was my first job so I had a lot to learn in order to succeed. I also felt I should learn how to care for and to better understand the senior citizens.
Many of the residents have dementia and struggled to provide a full meal order. At first I didn't understand and would just rush the order a bit, but with time I learned to have lots of patience while taking the residents’ orders. While working at the senior living home, I've come to learn that most residents spend most of the day in their rooms and not participating in any activities, leaving their meal time to be their only social interaction time of the day, because of this I try to have and maintain a positive and friendly relationship with each resident. I find it fascinating that some of the residents were top lawyers, fought in the war, or worked for the government. The residents helped me see that not everyone has it easy and that it can get tough in the late years of age.
While working in the workplace there are obstacles and conflicts that I face, but each incident I’ve learned from and can handle to the best of my ability for future instances. There have been incidents with co-workers and the residents, for example, when a particular resident isn't completely satisfied they would make it a big ordeal, leading me to bring my manager out into the dining room to handle the conflict. Now that I have experience, I am able to resolve most conflicts without having to involve my manager whether it's a conflict with a resident or a coworker.
Not only have the residents helped shape me into who I am, the amazing co-workers also helped shape me into a more understanding, open minded, mature and patient state of mind. There is a wide range of ages of my coworkers, ages that range from sixteen through late sixties. Working with older people everyday made an impact on me because they are all mature, smart, and very efficient at their jobs. This didn’t apply to just the kitchen crew I worked with, it also applied to housekeeping, caregiving, or maintenance staff. Most of every staff member showed me how to be a good role model in and out of the workplace.
I’ve been employed at the senior living home for two years and I feel like I have the experience and maturity to do my job to the best of my abilities. Since I work a lot my grades are moderate. I feel that it's better to have moderate grades and to work than having moderate grades and doing nothing with your time, when you can be studying to better the moderate grades. I feel like I could have done much better if I didn't work as much and had the time to study and do homework more often. In college I don't plan on working as much, so I can better focus on my education because I know if I didn't work as much as I did, my grades would be better than moderate. Therefore it's not just my grades that define me.
It's going to be difficult to let go of the senior living home when I graduate because I've spent so much time there and grew close to the residents and coworkers, which made work more enjoyable coming into work. Applying to the waitstaff position was one of the best decisions I've made to better myself and motivate myself to work. I've recently been promoted to the Team Leader Position, but that's thanks to everyone there who helped me become a patient, mature, and motivated person.
Many of the residents have dementia and struggled to provide a full meal order. At first I didn't understand and would just rush the order a bit, but with time I learned to have lots of patience while taking the residents’ orders. While working at the senior living home, I've come to learn that most residents spend most of the day in their rooms and not participating in any activities, leaving their meal time to be their only social interaction time of the day, because of this I try to have and maintain a positive and friendly relationship with each resident. I find it fascinating that some of the residents were top lawyers, fought in the war, or worked for the government. The residents helped me see that not everyone has it easy and that it can get tough in the late years of age.
While working in the workplace there are obstacles and conflicts that I face, but each incident I’ve learned from and can handle to the best of my ability for future instances. There have been incidents with co-workers and the residents, for example, when a particular resident isn't completely satisfied they would make it a big ordeal, leading me to bring my manager out into the dining room to handle the conflict. Now that I have experience, I am able to resolve most conflicts without having to involve my manager whether it's a conflict with a resident or a coworker.
Not only have the residents helped shape me into who I am, the amazing co-workers also helped shape me into a more understanding, open minded, mature and patient state of mind. There is a wide range of ages of my coworkers, ages that range from sixteen through late sixties. Working with older people everyday made an impact on me because they are all mature, smart, and very efficient at their jobs. This didn’t apply to just the kitchen crew I worked with, it also applied to housekeeping, caregiving, or maintenance staff. Most of every staff member showed me how to be a good role model in and out of the workplace.
I’ve been employed at the senior living home for two years and I feel like I have the experience and maturity to do my job to the best of my abilities. Since I work a lot my grades are moderate. I feel that it's better to have moderate grades and to work than having moderate grades and doing nothing with your time, when you can be studying to better the moderate grades. I feel like I could have done much better if I didn't work as much and had the time to study and do homework more often. In college I don't plan on working as much, so I can better focus on my education because I know if I didn't work as much as I did, my grades would be better than moderate. Therefore it's not just my grades that define me.
It's going to be difficult to let go of the senior living home when I graduate because I've spent so much time there and grew close to the residents and coworkers, which made work more enjoyable coming into work. Applying to the waitstaff position was one of the best decisions I've made to better myself and motivate myself to work. I've recently been promoted to the Team Leader Position, but that's thanks to everyone there who helped me become a patient, mature, and motivated person.