Most upperclassman if asked would tell you that they have a job, whether if it is an after school job, weekend job, or even a job that they do on special occasions. No matter the job, having one can be very time consuming and stressful, especially when balancing school. School in general can be a job especially in junior and senior year. The pressure is constantly there trying to finish high school, getting into college, and figuring out what to do with your life, but when you have a job on top of that, the stress can make or break a person.
Having a full time job is something that a lot of people experience at some point in their lives and it is not something that is easy no matter the job. As a high school student you are expected to do your best and make it count, but you’re also expected to make memories that can last a lifetime. Something that parents often tell their children is, “you have your whole life to work, be a kid while you still can.” While that is true, doing that is not as easy as it sounds. Most young adults have things they need to pay for whether if it’s car insurance, gas, a car payment, clothing, food, or even a need for spending money so that they can do things with their friends. It is also important that young adults experience some sort of work before going into the profession they would like to pursue, not only to know what working life is like but also for future resumes.
In my experience, last summer I had the opportunity to start a job working with children. I didn’t think that it would be something that I was good at or even enjoy, but with most things you will never know what will happen unless you try it. I ended up loving it and my employers admired my work and asked if I would continue working during the school year. I knew whatever decision I made there would be consequences. On one hand, I already had another job that I worked on the weekends and planned on working after school multiple days a week. On the other hand I loved this job more than I ever thought I would and if I didn’t accept the position I might never get the chance again. After a lot of thinking and talking with family and friends, I decided that the position was something I wanted to accept, but it did not come without hard work and consequences.
When I accepted the job, I was about to start my senior year of high school and I would have to do online school for the first two classes of the day so I could work the morning shift and then go to in person school for the rest of the day. Although that sounds manageable, the position also meant I would need to go back to work after school. I decided it would be best financially to keep my weekend job. because there are a lot of events that most seniors, including myself, would like to attend one last time. At the beginning of the year I thought that I had everything under control and that I would easily be able to manage both work and school. However, as time went on I found myself in a position I have never been in before; I felt as though I was not only missing out on having fun my senior year but also not doing my greatest at work. Luckily I had the resources and people I could confide in to help me with how I was feeling and make sense of it all; and currently I am in the best position emotionally, socially, and mentally I have ever been in.
Working a full time job while in high school isn’t for everyone. You need to be in the right mindset to manage it all or it can severely impact your life negatively. Although I wouldn’t trade my job or the life I have for anything, by no means was it easy to accomplish. I can’t with full confidence say that I have it all figured out, because I don’t. Whether people like to admit it or not, no one will ever have life fully ‘figured out’ and that is perfectly normal. The best thing you can do for yourself is to find something you love to do and figure the rest out from there; because doing something that is easy but you don’t enjoy will never allow you to live life to your fullest potential.
