Imagine having a long day at school, your head is aching from the knowledge it gained, your back’s tired from slouching in hard plastic chairs, and your legs hurt from running up and down the stairs all day long. All you want to do is go home and relax, but instead, you have to go work the night shift. Having a job in high school can be hard but also exciting. Having that responsibility and maintaining good grades can be a lot to handle as a teen. But you must ask yourself, is it worth it? As a high school student here at Huntingtown, I understand the difficulties of having a job at such an early age and I can tell you, it is not easy. You must look at the benefits such as financial responsibility, important life skills, etc. It is good to prepare early for the world when you graduate.  

Students with jobs these days all have the same reasoning for having a job, and that is to make money. Kelsey Kitchen, an 11th grader, a cook at McDonald’s in Prince Fredrick, making $14 an hour. When Kitchen was in middle school, she could not wait to get a job but did not know, at the time, the responsibilities that came with it. She states, “Having a job was a big responsibility for me. Between school, working, and responsibilities at home, it was a lot to adjust to, but I have it all figured out.” At first, jobs are hard, but when you get used to the environment it becomes a lot easier.  

Madison Marcus, also an 11th grader, is a server at IHOP. She absolutely loves her job and looks forward to going to work. “I’m trying to save up enough money to buy my first car after getting my learners,” Madison states. Working and saving money can benefit you with your wants and needs, such as buying your first car. Yet, sometimes there is something in the workplace place everyone dislikes doing. Marcus explains, “The worst part about this job is doing the dishes, while washing plates it’s always so sticky if someone ate pancakes with syrup.” Madison claimed, “I have gained a lot of friendships through coworkers and customers that come in. Everyone who comes in is always so happy and friendly.” Not everyone can love their job as much as Madison, but at least you can make new friends out of it.  

Robert Whitley, who is also an 11th grader, is a landscaper at Countryside Services. He has been working there for almost 2 years. Whitley states, “I love this job, even though I don’t work every day. When I do go to work it is a hard job.” He begins to explain, “We get calls to go to people’s houses to cut trees, mow their grass, and clean up flowerbeds. It does suck when it starts to get warm because then I just get hot and sweaty, so it makes me tired and not want to do anything.” There aren’t always hard days Robert goes on to explain, “My favorite time of the year for this job is in the summer. We go out on the boat and pick up waterlogs and sticks.” Sometimes he even gets paid to water ski after they are done picking up the logs. Seems like a fun job!  

As for these students, working can have its pros and cons. The important thing is that these students have a responsibility, and the independence can be appealing. Having a heavy responsibility of this nature can really benefit you in the long run.