My Student Days as a Waiter: Shaping Work Ethics and Connection

Being students grants us some level of freedom and the ability to do something without much worry, probably because we're socially dependent or because of our tender age, and one thing about these things we did as students is that we can't do many of them any longer. I, for one, though an introvert, indulged in some activities as a student that I can't even imagine myself doing now, so today I'll love to share one of such things with you.

I've always been an introvert from the onset, which means I prefer staying indoors, but then, due to my not-too-rich background with loads of responsibility on my parents, I decided to indulge in particular activities that help me become independent to a certain level and also reduce the rate at which I disturb my parents for my every need. These activities are legit, but I don't think I'll be comfortable doing them now, so without further ado, let's get to know what they are.

One of the activities I resorted to back then as a student was working as a waiter. At different events and ceremonies happening far and near my institution's premises, this job might sound cool to you, but it can also be embarrassing. But even though students still love to act big and rich, I still find it more comfortable doing it then as a student than now when I'm much older and have a job.

Working as a waiter at Nigerian parties goes beyond just carrying trays and delivering orders to the guests at the party; it also involves washing dishes and attending to both kind and abusive guests who have no regard whatsoever for waiters. When you look at such an experience and the impact it'll have on one's mental health, I think a student can still withstand it better than an adult who's aiming to be the best in wealth and the like.

One of the downsides of this job is that you also have to serve both the young and the old, and I can't just imagine myself carrying a tray to a party now and then serving a gathering where my students and colleagues are; such can be embarrassing, especially if a student of yours just finished eating and then brought it to you, the waiter, for washing so it can be used to serve another guest.

But despite all the downsides of the waiter job I listed, it's still a decent job, and I enjoyed every bit of it during my undergraduate days. In fact, it saves the day in more ways and aspects than I can ever imagine. For instance, with the money I earned from it, I was able to buy handouts, textbooks, and food, which met some of my basic needs. Aside from that, each time I go for the waiter job, we usually have excess food after the party that we're allowed to take home.

That helped me live like a big man and also eat nutritious meals. Take, for instance, the fact that you'll hardly visit my hostels and not meet the pot loaded with meat. Despite the fact that I'm not well to do, that makes me attract many friends, even though most of them were either coming so they could eat from the loads of food I've got at home or because they wanted me to connect them with the same job so they could also use it as an avenue to earn so much to survive as students.

I'm super grateful for the opportunity to work in that capacity because, during those periods, I became so connected with various caterers to the point where they usually reached out to me whenever they needed waiters to work for them, and I in return called other students to go there and do a good job, and via that, I was earning even though I worked with someone else. The others I sent other students to work for still tip me for giving them hardworking students who work diligently, so in a nutshell, it affected my life positively and helped me have a decent income on a weekly basis. That was positive because the place I studied happened to be a location where the residents love to party and celebrate the slightest happenings.

---

That's about all on one thing I enjoyed as a student, and I'm still grateful for the privilege, though I can't indulge in it any longer, except if I'm doing it for free or to help the waiters who are choked with many orders in the event I'm, for instance, still helping out in that regard at my friend's wedding ceremony a few years ago.

---

_{Image designed on Canva and can be verified here , here and here.}

---

Thanks so much for your time. Have a wonderful weekend ahead.