Written by: Sofia Tas-Castro
For those that don’t live in New England or more broadly the East Coast, Dunkin’, or formerly Dunkin’ Donuts, is a chain coffee and breakfast fast-food restaurant. To help fund my college career, I’ve been working at the establishment during school breaks. Like any other person working at a fast-food chain, I’ve served hundreds, probably thousands of people, through my store’s drive-thru. One customer in particular will forever remain in my memory.
I was working like any other summer day when a middle-aged man driving a run-down pickup truck came through. As I’m checking him out, he asks me “So, how’s the writing going?” I was unaware I had ever mentioned my writing career to this man. Don’t get me wrong, I make small talk with customers all the time, but I couldn’t even remember meeting this man. I didn’t question it though, figuring one of my coworkers maybe said it in passing to him one day.
“I’m still writing my book, don’t worry. I’m almost finished with my college degree, only got two years left.”
He congratulated me but what he said next made me pause. “I used to write poetry all the time, not that it was anything good. I wish I could go back to it.”
Now if you’ve ever worked in customer service, then you know this is the part where you’re supposed to say “Oh that’s too bad! Life gets busy,” then you wish the customer a good day and they leave. Instead, I asked “Why not?”
He shrugged. “I just don’t have the time anymore. I have to work, you know.”
Something in my heart broke when he said that. This man had lost his craft because he felt like it was something he couldn’t do. There’s a misconception in writing that it’s for people who are good at it and who have hours of time for it. But when you see real life writers, like this man, you realize the truth: writing is for anyone at any time.
“I’m sure your writing is good and even if it isn’t, who cares?” I told him. “You can write even only for a few minutes; you don’t have to spend hours on it. A few minutes is better than nothing, right?”
I don’t know what possessed me, a 19-year-old college student, to tell a grown man what I thought about his writing or give him advice on his craft. However, something about what I said “clicked” for him. Later that summer he came through the drive-thru again, this time with the biggest smile on his face, telling me he had gotten back into his writing.
I’m aware it’s a privilege to pursue a degree in humanities. My own father had pursued industry instead of academia like he wanted because he wanted to escape poverty and provide for my family. But it’s exactly because of that sacrifice that I know the value of this opportunity. The degree I am getting and the writing I am doing are more than what the public stereotypes them to be. They are what has helped me form my identity and learn how to express my ideas to others. It sounds cliché but having the opportunity to reflect on my life and experiences and then to have others read about them and give their feedback has given me an indescribable confidence. My college career has served as a trial run for putting myself out there professionally and growing a thicker skin to handle rejection and adversity.
Realistically, the field doesn’t pay as well as the sciences. But, STEM degrees, while incredibly valuable, don’t give you the chance to truly learn and reflect on who you are. Anyone, regardless of their chosen field, can get a job after college. But not many people can confidently say they know who they are and how to advocate for themselves.
Dunkin’, while at first glance appears to be a fast-food job meant to earn some extra cash, reminded me through the people I see every day why I love to do what I do. It isn’t just about serving coffee, but meeting people who can change my perspective on my own life. That man, whether he knew it or not, changed my perspective on my job and my college experience.
I am at the end of my college career, and I can say that regardless of the path I pursue after this, I know I will do well. I know who I am and I’m proud of it. As my parents have reminded me, nothing is worse than not knowing who you are or what you believe in. Everything else will come, you just have to stick to your values and let it.
Featured Image Caption: An example of a Dunkin’ drive-thru.
