Don’t Get a Job!

Don’t get a job. Just don’t do it. Don’t get a job at Sonic, don’t get a job at Culver’s, don’t get a job at McDonald’s, Don’t get a job at a grocery store, just don’t get a job. I started working my junior year, and I found that some of the most stressful situations and interfering conflicts of my life happened because I was trying to work, focus on school, and participate in extracurricular activities all at the same time. If you’re under 17, you shouldn’t be working! High school is arguably the most important time to be making memories, having fun, and staying focused, as corny as that sounds. A lot of my junior year, I really regretted having a job. It made doing theater near impossible, and I never had time to hang out with my friends.

Many high schoolers with jobs are also more depressed and stressed out than those without jobs. Having a long day at school, then proceeding to go to a 4-6 hour shift with no rest is hard for even the strongest adults, let alone a 16-year-old. Especially when you work in customer service. Good god, customer service is the worst as a teenager. You’re treated with very little respect, and you’ll find that’s very common as a high schooler in the workforce. People just don’t take you as seriously as adults, no matter how hard you work.

Senior year is the time to focus on the future. I think getting a job your senior year is a wise decision, as saving money for the future is the most practical thing you can be doing with your time, whether that be in college, living on your own, or both. Senior year is also definitely the least stressful year education-wise, so being able to balance your school-to-work ratio is a lot easier to do. Overall, the extra pocket change you get from a job as a teen is not worth it. Enjoy your free time! I am so tired of the whole “grind-set.” Rushing into the workforce at a young age is a lot to consider, especially when you’re going to have to work continuously for another 50 years.