Job context to 2018 - 2021
Pluspunten
If you like working in a zone and not moving much around and staying focused on your work, 🧼 Dishwashing and 🍺 Barkeeping/Barassistance is for you. If you like to move around a bit and talk to people, try to help around, then a job as a 🏃 Runner and 🧑🍽️ Waiter is for you. One can be portrayed as 💪 paid strength training while the other can be portrayed as ❤️🔥 paid cardio. Though it is not as exhaustive as what you might do in professional gym settings, it lasts for longer hours, so it builds up bit by bit. You get to learn from people of 🌍 varied cultures, as most of the staff are usually international students or students. Very few people work there in a permanent role. You also gain an understanding of how a restaurant quickly ⚙️ adapts technological changes into their system while others still use older methods. For example: - 📄 2018: Paper-based menus - 📱 2020–2021: Digital menus on tablets for all guests and staff, creating a stress‑free experience during busy hours The staff is 😊 90% of the time helpful and friendly if you work hard and are cooperative. If you don’t, then maybe you’ve already given them a reason to be less helpful.
Minpunten
You get bonded to a work life and feel comfortable with the work culture, but ⏳ it does not last a lifetime — you eventually move out and give space for the next person to take up your responsibilities. I have not directly worked in the kitchen, but I have seen them working long hours, which requires not only a 💪 strong physical body but also a 🧠 strong mental will to keep going even when the heat is unbearable, the tickets are nonstop, and you want to shout but cannot because it is part of the job. Trying to 😤 control your frustration at every moment due to countless reasons requires a level of will and strength not everyone has. People can always create 🎭 drama in the kitchen like portrayed on TV, but in reality, when it comes to actual work, it is much more about 🤝 team effort. It is 🌍 not a long‑term option for most international students, but if you want something alongside your studies and a different perspective on life, then go for it. 📝 Please Note: These are my own personal thoughts, which might contradict with others. They come from around 3 years of experience, with a mindset that evolved every year. P.S. Work life balance is a relative term which might be different for different people in different situations.
