Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that

sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of

yourself or others. (max 650 words)

As the summer of 2019 was fast approaching, I had yet to choose how I’d spend it.
Meanwhile, my friends were already occupied with plans—some attended summer
classes, and others interned at prestigious companies. As important as they sounded, I
wasn’t convinced that these activities were for me. I needed summer to be a refreshing
change from my routine academic grind and felt that I was too young for an internship.
Although I valued gaining education and internship experience, my hunch told me that
such activities could be missing a touch of the “real world.” I brought my concerns to my
mother, and was met by one of her philosophical quotes: “Big dreams start with small
steps.” That’s how my serving apprenticeship at Orien Kate began, a small restaurant
opened by Mother’s friend.
“This is where you’ll learn the business of real life,” the owner encouraged me on
my first day. I had doubts. My solemn duties included serving tables and retrieving and
delivering food orders, not exactly the growth models, marketing strategies, or asset
management that I was expecting to observe. Instead of calculating cash flow, I was
practicing serving skills, hardly intellectually demanding work. But I quickly learned, this
was not to be taken for granted. Beginners were distraught from balancing multiple
dishes on one tray, letting the excessive weight slow them down significantly. The trick
here was to place your non-dominant hand on your hip while grasping the tray with your
other fingertips to maximize friction. This sounds simple enough, yet it took me months
before I could comfortably move around with a mountain of food in my hands. It can be
easily overlooked by anyone, but in fact, serving is a profession that requires ingenuity
and perseverance.
More importantly, I enjoyed working at Orien Kate because of the customers.
They were my glimpse into the real world, a society seldom seen at school. From
businessmen and movie stars to dating couples and families, each offered unique
personalities and stories. Some were kind and pleasant, others were difficult and
demanding. Some were celebrating with families and friends, others were simply seeking
a quiet shelter. Surprisingly, my experience serving such diverse characters allowed me
to comprehend networking. I learned to bond with children by treating them to candy,
creating a comfortable atmosphere with the adults. I developed the ability to determine
the nature of customers’ moods by their greetings and either provide personal space or
divert conversations accordingly. Through such complex communications, I realized that
genuine effort is the essence of relationship-building. Though divergent in their needs, all
the people shared one commonality: their appreciation of my efforts at being mindful and
my willingness to go the extra mile.
“Our attitude towards life determines life’s attitude towards us,” Mother often said,
and this couldn’t be truer. At Orien Kate, I challenged myself daily, from memorizing
orders and the entire menu, to researching sale techniques to improve my customer
relations. The reward was handsome. Each day was filled with new achievements, prized
advice, and treasured experiences. By establishing our regular customers’ trust, I began to
hear their flagrant stories, many of their lessons that could never be taught in class. I was
honored to be made Assistant Supervisor, a high achievement. What started as a simple
endeavor of serving tables ended up developing me into a determined, passionate, and
courteous person. This experience has become a solid foundation for ensuring my future
success; these are now my principles for embracing life. I still return to Orien Kate
regularly. The restaurant hasn’t changed; still gracefully hidden on a small street,
harboring its guests from the daily discord. Few people know that such a small place can
change a person in such a large way, or that a seemingly insignificant job can spark
tremendous aspirations. It all depends on your demeanour.