High school is meant for a time of increased education and spending time with friends, but can a part-time change the typical activities that high school provides?

My name is Nicholas Watkins and I am currently employed at College Street Elementary School as a part-time after-school worker. I currently work from 3-6 p.m. on all weekdays and have school at regular times on the same days before entering work. 

Oftentimes, students are not given the choice to work during high school or not. In my situation, my parents allowed me to decide whether or not I wanted to work. 

The job I decided to take up works hand-in-hand with what I wanted to major in during college, so I knew this job would grant me good job experience. 

In my situation, this job allows time for all of the concepts high school should include: an education, time with friends, and help for the future. 

The job I took at College Street Elementary required me to be 18, which came quickly at the beginning of my senior year. In my opinion, jobs have many benefits during your senior year as they could help determine your future while your school workload is not as heavy. 

At my job, I can explore my career goals; however, some students might not be as lucky. Many end up in jobs where they are just working for pay or general work experience.

Those who work in industries such as fast food often do not get the necessary work experiences to help them with their major or future career. These businesses thrive off of teenage workers and will oftentimes schedule extended hours after the long school day.

Although the paycheck at the end of the week may seem nice, I recommend pursuing a job that interests you or applying for an internship in a job field you want to explore. 

After a long seven-hour school day, students oftentimes do not wish to work for another five to seven hours in a job. Ideally, students should try to get a job that has a max of a couple of hours daily. 

Altogether, a job is not completely bad for students (it can bring concepts such as a work ethic and handling finances into someone’s life), but selecting the correct job in high school can make a big impact on the overall benefits it can bring students.