Nearly all high schoolers will attest to the fact that, from the day they step foot into their new school as freshmen up until the moment that they graduate, the four years students spend in high school will likely include stress, hard work, and many late nights. Of course this doesn’t prove necessarily true for all students; however, for the majority, this appears to be the norm. So what happens when a high schooler wants to start earning their own paycheck? One should acknowledge both the pros and cons when choosing whether or not to apply for a part-time job while in high school.
Pros
Students can learn life-skills like time-management. Part-time jobs provide much more than just a paycheck. They teach valuable life skills that students will need despite where they end up, and a great way to learn about balance and responsibility would be to get a job. By balancing classes with extracurriculars and a social life, school will be less stressful. Though it may seem impossible to add a job to an already busy schedule, finding new ways to manage the workload will be extremely beneficial for the future. “Teens who work gain important skills—not just vocationally, but also interpersonally. Teens who hold a job have the opportunity to develop communication and interpersonal skills specific to being a part of a professional community” collegevine.com states.
Part-time jobs look amazing on college applications. Colleges don’t just accept students, they invest in them. And in order to invest in a student, they must first prove that they can be up for the challenges that college will present. Having a job and maintaining good grades shows colleges that those particular students can manage their time well, have learned valuable life skills, and have learned more about responsibility. Prepscholar.com says, “even if your job isn't connected to a long-term academic or career goal you have, any (part-time) work experience you have will be great to put down on your application because it emphasizes your sense of responsibility, maturity, and willingness to work for your goals, key qualities that are usually considered important for success in college.” Besides, for high schoolers that plan on working during college, getting a job in high school will be ideal practice.
Self-reliance. Up until the moment a teenager earns their first paycheck, they remain reliant on the money that others give them. Their parents or legal guardians provide them with money or allowances which they can use, but when that money runs out, they need to go and ask for more. Having a job means the freedom to earn and spend money without asking for permission or borrowing from someone else. “Having a job gives students their own money and can help them understand the true value of a dollar” according to the Walden University website. Becoming self-reliant can teach teens how to manage their money while also being able to spend it as they choose.
Cons
Academic performance could take a hit. If students cannot balance having a job with schoolwork or they have too many challenging courses, school performance could be hurt by getting a part-time job. Resilienteducator.com says, “going from school to extracurricular activities and then to a job means having to do homework late at night, or, in some cases, working ahead during the weekends to ensure everything is complete for the coming week.” Getting a job can mean numerous late nights and less free time. For students who take difficult classes and prefer to make school their only job, getting a part-time job could cause more harm than good.
Increased stress could be an issue. Having a job on top of your studies can lead to an increased stress load, especially if a student prefers taking difficult classes. Since teens would be getting home later in the evening, that doesn’t leave as much time for homework and studying at night, so it would be crucial to spend a lot of time finishing up homework before going to sleep. Spending too much time studying at night could also cause sleep deprivation, making it more difficult to concentrate on school the next day.
Teens can form a negative opinion about work. When deciding what part-time job to get, students should choose very carefully. Unfortunately, many high schoolers choose jobs that can be tedious or require quite a lot of work that they don’t enjoy doing. This could potentially lead to them forming a negative view of work in the future, stifling their work ethic and enthusiasm to get a job. A student at AFHS, who prefers to remain anonymous, says, “Even though performing most job tasks are relatively simple once you get used to them, the job itself can become overwhelming at times. I work at a fast food restaurant in Apex roughly 3 days a week, and our rush hours can be pretty hectic with everyone trying to complete every order coming from our dining room and the drive-thru. Also, the fact that I'm a full-time student on top of being a part-time employee adds stress to my system when I've got to think about studying, extracurriculars, college applications, and working all at the same time. It's scary, but it's manageable.”
Teens looking into applying for a job have a choice to make. Do the pros outweigh the cons, or vice versa? Having a job while in high school can certainly be manageable and beneficial with proper time-management and responsibility. Still, this does not mean that it won’t be a struggle at times. It all depends on the student’s willingness to put in the effort that it takes to have a part-time job while in high school.
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