The alarm went off a bit later that morning, but I wasn’t complaining. The air was still and quiet and felt like a blanket trying to keep me inside. 

The world outside of my safe haven was almost equally as quiet. Radios and newscasts warned people to remain in their homes, and yet I was getting ready. I showered, did my hair, brushed my teeth, grabbed my mask and went out the door. 

I was deemed an “essential worker,” which meant while the world quarantined, I was pushed into the unknown and expected to just handle it the best I could. 

Handled it, I did; I begrudgingly walked into the restaurant and listened to my superiors explain how they were going to handle the situation. Ignoring social distancing rules, my coworkers sat shoulder to shoulder listening to the transformation of our jobs. 

Even though restaurants were supposed to be closed, we remained open, only offering take out. The idea was people would call in orders and line up as if it were carpool at their child’s elementary school. 

The first day of being open this way was slow, but once the word got out, it got so busy I was making more money in tips than I was just as a regular server. I loved it.

I’m an introvert so even though I work in the service industry, it drains me. This was the perfect compromise. 

One major problem with the new way of things was that I, along with my coworkers, had to proceed with extreme caution. Not only did I live in a house where contracting COVID could be deadly for some family members, but I also had no idea what the situation was for others. 

Maintaining cleanliness was of utmost importance to my coworkers and I as we tried to navigate a rapidly changing environment. 

Through the changing tides, I too changed. With the abundance of free time, even while on the clock, my mind would wander. The local news would play repetitiously on the flat screen at the bar. 

This was around the time I was looking into different career paths I wanted to pursue. I knew I enjoyed writing, but I wanted to be able to help my local community in some kind of way. 

With all of the coverage on the unrest accompanied by the constant coverage of the pandemic, I figured I could combine my passions and pursue journalism. 

It was the time spent working in the restaurant, serving food to fearful yet hopeful individuals and spending hours listening to a television drone on about the chaotic times that helped me realize what I truly valued and wanted to pursue.