Jacob Lucco

College Essay

College Comp, Pd.1

12/09/21

Lesson Learned in the Kitchen

My first job was at McDonald’s in Bradford, Pennsylvania. I have grown and learned

tremendous amounts from this experience. One of the various lessons I learned was how to slow

down and focus on the steps of a procedure rather than the process. When I first started, I was

taught loads of information in a brief period, and it was stressful. I absolutely hated the feeling of

being lost and not knowing what I was doing this was one of the first times I experienced this

feeling and did not have any friends or teachers to ask for help. After the first few days I realized

I need to take my time and work on one step at a time rather than the product. I first started doing

this with steps in the kitchen such as making big macs, frying nuggets, chicken product, fish

filets, and of course French fries. Some of the steps I moved onto from there include what buns

to use for each sandwich, what condiments each sandwich require, how to set cabinet timers,

what papers to use to wrap the correlating sandwich.

Learning these tasks was critical to performing my job. I like to try to be the best at my

duties. It was difficult to not be good at some of the tasks. I then started realizing some of the

people I am working with have been working in that kitchen for years. This was a big realization

because it helped me get better at my job as I was no longer competing to be the best. I was

trying to just work together to get the orders filled.

 The management eventually moved me to the front window. I enjoyed the front window

because I learned I liked interacting with people more than I thought I would have. I also learned

a ton at the front window as the people at the front window must make the drinks and sometimes

the fries depending on the number of employees on the shift.

In conclusion, my first job taught me so much more about myself than I would have ever

expected. I would not have learned without that job. As much as I hated the job, especially the

constant smell of low-quality beef and grease, it taught me tons that I am starting to realize only

months after I moved to Walmart.