Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Working Hard...

Graphics: E. Phillips & A. McGraw

or Hardly Working?

by Jesse Rizzo staff writer The struggles of balancing a real-world job and high school

When I got my first job, it was a scary experience, especially because I only had 30 minutes of training before dealing with real customers. My first shift was only four hours long, and by the end of it, my feet and back were killing me. The beginning was the hardest part; between getting used to standing for long hours, dealing with customers, and working with people I didn’t see eye to eye with, my first job was a struggle. Although everyone won’t have the same experience, a majority will deal with something similar in their working life. As time goes on, the physical and mental challenges of working will lighten up because you start to acclimate to the work environment. Some high schoolers can get turned off from the demands of the work environment because of the physical stress it can cause. It’s entirely reasonable to be worried about this physical strain, and it isn’t the only thing to consider when thinking about getting a job. Working can be very stressful and mentally draining especially for students who have to combine this with their school work load. Madeline Rowney ‘24 explains that “during the school year, especially during the finals, it was kinda stressful and I had to step back from my work a little and only take one day instead of two days”. One of the most stressful parts of working is handling customers. Some of them are ruthless. People like this will put you down for any mistake you make, no matter how small it is. Not all customers will be like this, though when it does happen, it can set the tone for the whole day. The stress of working is too much for some, but having a job does have advantages. Having your own money in high school allows for a lot more freedom, and being able to make purchases for yourself is nice. Arthur Sieting ‘24 notes, “I was happy knowing I had the ability to get whatever I wanted. It also made me feel more like an adult.” It is also a useful resource for teens to have. They might be out with friends and need to buy food, see some clothes they like while window shopping, or making an online purchase. Regardless of what you’re buying, it’s still good to get it for yourself instead of asking your parents or waiting for a holiday such as Christmas or your birthday. Having a job allows teens to save up for bigger purchases like cars, and by doing this it does give that sense of freedom that a lot are looking for. There are a lot of jobs available currently, but the challenge with this is finding one you like. When I got my job, it happened very quickly and out of nowhere. I was going to get lunch and someone from corporate asked if any of my friends wanted jobs. I said that I was looking for one, and later that day I got a call from the owner to set up an interview. They ended up hiring me right after that. I randomly ended up with a job I liked. This may not be the case for many, but opportunities like this can present themselves, so it is important to look out for them. When looking for a job in traditional ways, there can be a lot of factors. Sieting describes feeling out of place at his first job because of the age gap between him and his coworkers. Things like this are important to consider because of how often you’ll be around your coworkers. Despite this, Sieting still felt it was a positive experience stating “It was a good idea mainly because it would give me something to do after school instead of gaming or watching tv.” Getting your foot in the door of the workplace is always the hardest part. Jordan Messick, owner of Jersey Mike’s Traverse City, believes that “skills learned at a first job will prepare you for future endeavors.” People can ofen overthink the process of getting a first job or any job, but Messick states “my best advice is be receptive, reliable, and be eager to learn. If you have these traits looking for a job, an employer will be eager to take you on board and teach you the job. Reliability is a big thing employers are looking for. Someone they can count on to do the job. The experiences you will have and people you’ll meet makes working worth your time. //