SOME LANCERS make their way straight to their bed after school, while others have to get changed and head to work. This leads to the obvious question, “Why do high school students stretch themselves to work low income jobs?” Some students may prefer to work while going to school, even if it’s going to interfere with grades and academic performance. The reasoning behind their decisions isn’t always because they want the money to spend, but it can be because of a desire for stability for their future. 

As seniors graduate and freshmen arrive, the thought of graduation increases. Having a way to afford college becomes more and more pressing. “I’m a freshman and years away from college, but I don’t have a guarantee that my parents will be able to pay for college. Therefore, I got a job and with the help of my mom I now have a savings account. Everything I earn goes into it. I think I’ll look back at my savings senior year and be proud of how much stress I have saved myself from,” Ruby Hartley (9) said.

There is endless amounts of dedication put into school by students, especially those who decide to add a job into their daily schedule. Some students work for savings, while others decide they want to work to support themselves. Colleges tend to be impressed by students who can manage having a job and balancing school successfully, but having a job can conflict with school in many ways. For example, working long hours can take a toll on a student’s grades. “I work at McDonalds and I’m there till 12 A.M. I work five to six days a week and it’s starting to interfere with school,” Damaris Arrazola (11) said. 

Students dealing with similar situations to Arrazola are put into a ricochet. They must contemplate if they should continue working shorter schedules and struggle, or quit altogether and feel the toll of no longer having a stable income for a high schooler.

Lancers who go from school to extracurricular activities and then to a real job know how it feels to have to do school assignments late at night. However, this teaches them time management skills. After getting employed, students learn the significance of arriving on time. According to an article on The Daily Muse, “being on time demonstrates an employee can be trusted to get the job done and is responsible, qualities that are important in today’s competitive job market.” 

In addition, punctuality is also a skill students acquire after getting a job. Learning to finish work efficiently and organize time will immensely impact the futures of those working students. A high school student who has a job should not have to be up until three in the morning doing homework if they know how to manage their time. They could just as well get their homework done before midnight.

“Having a job at the airport and working five days a week has started to mess with my school work,” Saer Husein (12) said. Working has its benefits for the people who don’t understand it first hand. Those who do know the many consequences. “In the summer I assumed it would be easier to manage a job and school work. Now I am realizing it’s a little harder than how I’d thought it would be,” Lena Leo (9) said.

As long as someone is willing to hire a high school student, there will be another teenager taking the job underestimating the amount of commitment needed. Getting into working comes with benefits that begin from learning the importance of budgeting to building confidence in the workplace. The consequences can be far greater, as holding a job can lead to failed academic achievement, and imbue negative perspectives about work. Students should question if they are willing to put in the effort it takes to balance work and school.