Writing

Feedback:

I appreciate your writing about the piece, but the assignment is to use it as inspiration for a personal essay of your own. (not using the text--but writing within its form -- mimicking the way the writer arranged and formatted and wrote their essay).

Example:

The Things I've Lost

What feels like a million ID’s and credit cards; In bars or usually when alcohol was involved; I’ve gotten better now, I don’t drink much anymore so that probably has something to do with it. My Nintendo DS when I was 10; I looked for it for a whole year; found out my sister destroyed it and hid it; the biggest betrayal of my childhood, maybe my life. A lot of friends from my childhood; every year it seems; overdoses and suicide; random feelings of sadness, wondering what demons they were battling. A lot more friends; by choice; sometimes people just run their course in that chapter of your life, not everyone is going to be around forever, other times you have to cut people out of your life because they are holding you back and that’s ok too. A lot of opinions; growing up in Minnesota then spending the past 6 years in Texas and Florida has changed the way I see our country and our society as whole. Fears; or maybe acting in spite of them; all good things come to those who operate outside of their comfort zone and I’m always trying to challenge myself and push my limits; I know what I’m capable of and I trust in the plan that God has for me.

Example:

Work Experiences

When you work in the same profession for six years straight, your body quickly becomes accustomed to particular responsibilities. You get quicker at meeting customers' requirements as you become more perceptive to when they need something. Moving back and forth while holding numerous large dishes without dropping or interfering with the presentation.

Always indoors, serving couples, families, friends, and grandparents. The busiest days are the weekends, with weekdays being busy but not as much as the weekends. When the pandemic began in 2020, it was hell. Indoor dining was closed. Working for a small, family-run business: it was disheartening. Empty streets and sick people housed in quarantine: no one to serve and no person to work.

Every day is a brand new day, and you can never know what to anticipate. People are revealed to you in new ways. An Asian family working in a city, that is filled with predominately white people. Speaking your native language to your parents while the customers give you the side eye. You develop the ability to ignore everything and smile as you approach tables. You could ignore these people and shame them for their actions, but you choose not to. You start to tolerate the harmful responses after you know how valuable you are and appreciate your language and culture.

Realizing that others are self-centered and solely have their own interests in mind. They believe that servers are there to serve them and take care of all their needs, which is somewhat true, but we are not your servants and are not required to serve you if we do not want to. Instead, I was made aware of the fact that I maintain my composure while working and always treat others with respect no matter what. You're there, smiling, prepared to face the day with whoever and whatever comes your way.