Author: Christina C.

Christina Cantone

English 1121

Word count 960

A discourse community is a group of people who share like minded thoughts and ideas. We are part of so many types of these communities in our everyday lives. For example your major is a community, a group of friends can be a community, even a club could be a community. This is due to the fact that we talk a certain way within each setting like when we use specialized vocabulary with one group that wouldn’t be used in an everyday type conversion. One commintie I am apart of is what I am currently majoring in which is hospitality management. When I was choosing a major I thought to myself “is this something you can really do for the rest of your life”? In the hospitality field we use specific vocabulary that relates to our community. We have clear-cut goals that relate to what we are taught in our classes. These goals include but are not limited to providing and demonstrating impeccable customer service skills, to improve the efficiency and quality of hospitality and ensure guest satisfaction. As a whole the hospitality industry engages in discourse that encourages growth among members, provides respect when talking to guests and co-workers which creates a sense of professionalism in the work environment , as well as win favor with the guest through outstanding customer interaction.

In the hospitality industry we are very family-like, we always strive to be positive and productive in our work both outside and academics as well as in our everyday lives. When in the work world when we need someone to take a shift off our hands we ask “can you cover my shift?” or if they are having trouble with the sechuble and a manager may ask “how can I accommodate your need to fit in the schedule?”. There is a saying that you treat others the way you want to be treated and this holds very true in the real world and within the hospitality community. We each create an environment through word and actions for our co-workers, group members, and/or fellow students to flourish, thrive, and succeed in.

We as people like to be respected when we interact with others no matter the situation. No matter if you are a worker or a guest we strive as people of this community to create a sense of respect and professionalism in our academic and work environment. In the major you learn how to be in almost every role from being a chef, a sver, a mangere, the front of the house who interact with people, to the back of the house that does more heavy lifting. Each position requires a unique set of skills to execute correctly, even when we mess up it’s about how we correct and learn from our mistakes to improve our future.

Like everything in life it takes hard work, dedication, and discipline to achieve our goals and to participate in a industry of service. Even the most basic levels in the industry have some form of human interaction, so we always try to improve our customer service skills. Some of these skills are actively communicating with coworkers and peers, being able to solve problems, and working as a team. Our profession is no easy one, but when you have a whole community to interact with it makes life just a bit easier.

The person I interviewed was a peer from my major when asked the question what are the goals of the group they respond with “the goals of our department are to educate us about the field while getting experience through workshops and club activities, they want to prepare us for the real world. Even though it is one major there are so many paths that you can choose from one can be similar or drastically different from others, there’s no cookie cutter molde to follow when creating our academic experience”. I found this to be very true that we each have our own path and we interact with others while on the way to our destinations. The following question asked about how our group communicates with its members. She said “ we have a language all our own, it’s unique to us and our department. If we used this language anywhere else people wouldn’t know what we are referring to” she then goes on to say “we also use a lot of modern technologies like email, text messages, and social media”. There is a very valid point being made about the use of modern technologies and mass media in community, since many times things we do are now online. The last and final question asked was about what would you need to know before joining the group. She explained “you need to be able to work with others, have empathy for others, but one of the most important things to have is to be determined and work hard. These few things will get you very far in the community and the industry you choose to work in once you graduate”. The ideas she expressed hold true not just for our community but in life.

I have found that this community that I am part of this small yet mighty. We may not have as many members as some of the other majors, but the things we learn and do really make a difference. The values we learn don’t just necessarily have to be work or acadmicrealted but they can also be applied in our personal lives. In conclusion I have learned more about my major though the point of view of one of my peers and the experience and discore of our community was enlightening.

Work Cited

Kuzar, Emily. Personal interview. 13 February 2020