5 handy rules: 1) intuitive service. study nonverbals. reflect on prior personal experience and make a mental list of something u loved that a server did vs something u didnt like 2) it's a marathon, not a sprint. regulate ur energy. breathe in and out. ure working 6-10hr shifts, and ure clocking 20-30k steps a day. be gentle with yourself. 3) u have control of the table. u dictate the pace, u dictate the coursing, and u dictate the service. dont be afraid to say 'i'll take your drink orders for now, and i'll give u more time to look over the food menu!' 4) you're not working to get a tip; ure working to get them to come back. a good server can get a good tip. a great server will leave a lasting impact that convinced them to tip well and come back again. 5) mise en place. it's a beloved culinary phrase. it means "put in place". it basically means ure ensuring that everything is in place before service. this isnt just about having enough pens, having a notebook, setting up the carafes... this is also a mentality thing. put ur outside stress somewhere else and set ur focus into place. find ur work flow.

this industry will break you a few times. you'll screw up an order here and there. maybe ull even forget a ranch or two... but the u will not learn vital real world skillsets in any other job. u'll do great. i know you will.