Flipping Burgers

Five days out of the week, I walk into work. I put on my employee shirt, my apron, my visor, and I get to work. I have the pleasure of making a ton of pizzas for 8 hours straight, no I am not necessarily ‘fond’ of it, but I do it because it gets me by and pays my bills. Sure I would love to be in some upscale restaurant, but I a least have a job, and I do not take it for granted. Many people would prefer to not have my job; it’s a minimum wage, fast pace, difficult customer environment. But it is an opportunity that is not beneath my dignity, so to that, I quote Charles J. Sykes, in his article called ‘Life rules for Teenagers, “Flipping Burgers in not beneath your dignity”. I could not agree more with him.
Millions of United States workers are employed at a fast food restaurant. Many Americans are probably working in two or more of them at one time, just to get by. They also realize that flipping burgers isn’t below their dignity, having no job and living off of others should be below ones dignity. Every day I see people on the streets, begging for money. Yes, everyone has their reasons, but everyone is capable or picking their selves up and applying for jobs. You can always advance in the job you have, you gain experience, and once you have enough experience you can apply for higher jobs and get further up the chain. It just takes a bit of hard work in some low paying jobs. For many people, their first jobs are in a fast food place, and it is just a stepping stone. Many work their way through school and then once they graduate, they are able to find jobs in their degree. Others find that they love working in fast food and end up owning them or managing more than just one store. A lot of fast food restaurants offer benefits and are always giving the opportunity for raises, only good things come from hard work. You never know where you will go when you first start a minimum wage job, but you know it will all be worth it in the end. You are getting yourself somewhere, and can be proud of that.
One of my first jobs was working at a Quizno’s, there I also had to wear an apron and visor, I was 16 when I first got that job and might I say it was one of the easiest jobs I have ever had. Back when I did not have any responsibilities and whatever money I earned, I just got to pocket it. All I had to do every day, was make sandwiches and run register. Half way through my shift I always got a free sandwich and at the end of the day we always got to take home cookies or left over bread. How could anyone take that for granted? I did. I hated working there, thought it was so hard and embarrassing making sandwiches for other people, but now I realize how crazy I was for thinking that way.
The other day I was talking with some friends and telling them about the paper I had to write. I told them the rule I chose, and one of them piped up saying “it is definitely below my dignity!”; She lives at home with her parents, pays no bills, and doesn’t work. She is naive and obviously doesn’t have a clue of what it means to have an opportunity. There are so many other people who also think that way. They also do not appreciate what is just kind fully handed to them. Others work so hard to just have half of what they have. I wish there was a way to imprint into every ones minds, to appreciate what they have.
So tomorrow, I shall go into work and put on my uniform and work hard, because I personally know that making pizzas is not all that I have in store for my life, I am working and paying my way through school and although I dread heading to work every day I know that I am helping my future and preparing myself for other difficult, low paying jobs further in life. No one should ever take a job for granted or be embarrassed for what they do; they should always look at it as an opportunity.