High school jobs allow students to afford their own luxuries and gain experience working in the real world. This experience allows these working students to understand how the corporate or business world works, participating in the hiring process and undergoing  interviews earlier in life could be valuable for their future careers.

   Enjoying what you do as a kid and for the rest of your career is important. Being independent is a big part of growing up and becoming your own individual.

   “I enjoy my job because I don’t have to rely on my parents,” said Cashin Tokarz, sophomore. 

   Tokarz works at Lino’s part time and reaps the benefits of doing what he wants with his money.

   “Making my own money gives me confidence,” said Ryan Maher, sophomore, who works at Beef-A-Roo. 

   Finding your own ways to make money, reaching out within the community to find employment and instill confidence in yourself is important for teens to consider when they have extra free time.

   Learning about how an industry works and what it’s like working under someone is also important for developing a sense of knowledge around the workforce.

   “I’ve learned a lot about work ethic and the value of employees at a lower level,” said Maher.

   Maher values what he’s learned from his part time job, working under management and understanding what effort has to be put in for specific situations.

   The environment you work in is also important: the people you work with, the safety of the workplace, and how you are treated contribute to the work environment.

   “You learn that you have to be good at communication and can’t expect everyone to understand exactly what you want them to do or help with,” said Maher. “Arguing and bickering over duties delays efficiency, and it’s primarily the fault of poor communication.”

   I’ve had my fair share of problems and drama in my jobs, from workplace injuries to rumors. Though drama might be funny and make work interesting, it’s draining for whom it might be directed at.

   Jobs aren’t all positive- managing schoolwork on top of your employment could cause conflicts in completing homework and studying for tests.

   This discrepancy in work-school schedules can have a considerable impact on school related activities. Time management is a big part of scheduling, which students need to do as they mature.

   Closing late at night can affect sleep schedules and make it more difficult to wake up the following morning. I’ve been a victim of getting off work at ten to eleven at night, and still have to get home, wash up, eat, and then fall asleep.

   “Because I work directly after school, I lost a lot of my family time,” said Tokarz. “Sometimes I don’t even have enough time to finish my school work.”