Sweet summer vacation means one thing to me: 5:30 a.m. alarms.

Whether I was up late watching movies with my sisters or crashed early on the couch after dinner, I am up and ready to go when I hear that buzz-buzz-buzz we all know and love coming from my iPhone. Within the next half hour, I'm off to work to open up the restaurant where I'll be waiting tables until about 3 p.m.

Spending my days waiting tables in a hotel restaurant isn't really how I imagined spending my summer as a kid, but now it's one of my favorite things I do while school isn't in session.

As someone who's really high energy, the fast-paced restaurant world puts my spirit to use. Coworkers yelling "Behind!!" as they swoosh past you with large trays, that surge of adrenaline once you finally beat the rush, and the thrill of sneaking some homefries into the back server section all channel my off-the-wall self into something productive.

Another reason I absolutely love being a server is the people I meet. My coworkers are the wackiest bunch I've ever met, but I wouldn't trade that for the world because without the jokes, tempers, and friendships we all have, that place would be VERY different. That doesn't even bring me to the people I serve. Not only do I get to meet people from all across the country (and sometimes world!!), I get to make new connections I never would have made before. Even last week, I was chit-chatting with a table of older ladies when I found out they had all gone to my tiny, Catholic, all-girls high school in another state!! We spent the next 15 minutes talking about teachers, buildings, classes, and how small the world can be sometimes.

Plus, the Sagamore keeps me on my toes. The constant energy, schedule changes, restaurant disasters that go on help prepare me for the real world. Little things, like my infinitely increased patience in busy restaurants, how quickly I can calculate percentages now, or how to be my happiest self even when something just went wrong, are all helping me strengthen and shape who I am.

I know that customer service isn't the right job for everyone. I know that working 6 days a week isn't for everyone. But, I know that being a waitress is definitely for me... for now.