Growing up, I could not wait to get a job. Having a job meant independence, having my own money and learning how to be an adult. Shortly after getting my driver's liscense, I took a lifeguarding class at the YMCA and ended up landing myself a job there. I worked there for three years, growing my skills, increasing my knowledge, and gaining more responsibilities. Through this first job, I learned what it meant to be on time, take initiative, and do the hard work nobody else wants to do. It taught me that when you work hard, people notice and will reward your efforts, but if you slack off that is also noticed. I learned that the only way to succeed in life is through your own hard work, as only then will you see the fruits of your labor. Through this job, I learned how to handle stressful situations, an to put myself at risk to save somebody else. I may have started as a lifeguard, but by the end I was coaching the swim team and maintaining the pools.