Opinion: Working and going to school is not easy

A lot of teenagers want to work while going to school because they feel like if they work they’ll be able to get whatever they want. But they don’t understand the difficulties that might come along with it. As a working student I have the experience of having a job and going to school at the same time. It has been a stressful experience but also a learning one. As a young kid, I’ve wanted to be just like my uncles, who each had a job while going to school. They made me want to do the same because I saw them going to school, but at the same time, they were having fun buying themselves stuff and going out a lot. As I grew older I understood the responsibilities that came with the opportunity of working.

Today, student jobs are in demand and no matter where you go you’ll see a lot of students working: from a McDonald’s to supermarkets, convenient stores and even day-care centers. Now some people might think it’s bad and some people might think it’s good, but what do students think? Anonymous students from LA River High School had a few things to say about teens and jobs.

Question: What’s your view on students having a job? If you work how do you manage your time with school and work?

Crystal Hernandez: “I think it’s a good way of trying something new in life. While I am on my break I’m always snacking and doing my homework as I take my break. Then when I get home I finish the homework that I have to finish for the rest of the day. When it comes to managing time I put my priorities on track school, go to work, take my break and do my homework then I go home and finish all my work. Yeah it’s stressful but in the end it’s worth it.”

Erwin Oliver: “There’s nothing much to say, all I got to say is don’t lose your track of time you even slip just a little bit you’re digging your own hole. Having a job is a privilege and a huge responsibility everything is just a process of growing up. It’s like a domino effect, you mess up once then everything that you have accomplished just keeps falling down.”

As every student in high school think its good to be working so early, parents and teachers see otherwise. Parents and teachers are basically saying the same thing. If my son/daughter/student can do it then I say go for it, I mean why not? it’s good learning experience. But parents like mine and some other students thought otherwise, “why should my son/daughter work? That’s why they have us, to support them and guide them onto the right path. I’d rather have them in school learning then working and thinking just because they are making money right now they can stop going to school.” Many parents can relate to this and so can teachers so the real question is should teens have a job so early? It’s really their decision, but every teen needs to be prepared for what’s ahead of them.