Obtaining a job in high school can give a sense of responsibility as well as teach the basics of the real world. According to junior Bailey Haney, who has worked at Plato’s Closet since Sep. 2013, work is very difficult  when it comes towards keeping track of homework, causing her to stay up past midnight to get it done. Even with that in mind, Haney thinks her job will help her in the long run with maintaining time managing skills.

“Balancing school and work hasn’t been a huge challenge in the past couple of months because I was able to really cut back on my hours and change my availability,” Haney said. “But when I was working 30 plus hours a week, my grades really suffered. I had to sacrifice sleep almost every night to get even just half of my work done.”

Haney has a job that gives her the option of schedule flexibility so she can have time to herself and her life outside school and work.

“Occasionally work interferes with my social life and family time,” Haney said.

Junior Erica Spencer also has a part-time job as a waitress at Thai Plano, her parents’ Korean-style restaurant.

“My parents needed the help and they were going to pay me so it was one of those win-win situations,” Spencer said. “I like the fact that I work alongside my parents, because it gives me more of a laid back atmosphere than somewhere corporate.”

According to Spencer, the only complication she has in her workplace is the intensity of holding all her responsibility while working alongside her parents.

“Sometimes they don’t realize I have actual homework or after school activities I have to do,” Spencer said. “Since I’m their daughter, it gives them a little more of a strict hold on me.”

Junior Sadie Meredith has worked at Jump Mania for almost nine months. According to Meredith, work gets in the way of her social life, but she tries to make the best of it.”But I have managers who are extremely reasonable when it comes to covering shifts and requesting days off.” 

“I do like my job — it’s fun getting to make kids’ birthdays special,” Meredith said. “To balance school and work I have to plan ahead and make sure that I get things done on time. Sometimes I’ve had to decide not to hang out with friends or go do something.”

Junior Mikayla Clark works at Tony’s Cafe, which according to her is very popular among students her age.

“It’s awkward working and realizing I know someone from school,” Clark said. “But I’m getting paid so in the long run it doesn’t even matter.”

Clark said it is not difficult for her because she plans her time management.

“I don’t balance anything, I just try to do school related stuff at school and work related stuff at work,” Clark said. “My work is a little different so if someone takes off early I can’t take off early as well, so sometimes I won’t get as much stuff done as I originally wanted to.”

According to Clark, money is her only motivator to get through a tough day at work. In the end she said it is totally worth the fake smiles and sweet greetings.

“Sometimes things are just worth the hard work and dedication so if you really want something, you should totally go for it,” Clark said.