Wilson Hibbs
Should I get a job? It’s a question many students have asked themselves, and it’s usually followed by a lot more questions. How stressful would a job be? Will I have time to be in school and work a job at the same time? Is it worth getting a job in the first place?
A survey interviewing 37 Sandia High School students found that 37.8% had jobs. That might not seem like many, but the numbers were much higher in the upper grades. For example, 57.1% of Juniors and 54.5% of Seniors reported that they had jobs. These jobs can be beneficial because they teach students about hard work and balancing priorities, as well as allowing students to earn some money. However, jobs can also cause large amounts of stress, especially considering the large workload many students face in high school.
In the survey, 71.4% of students who had jobs reported that having a job while being in school is “slightly stressful.” Kyla Bouttakhanh, a Junior who works at Crackin’ Crab Seafood Boil, said that “it’s kind of stressful… I have to multitask with so many things.” For some students, such as the 7.1% who said that their situation is “very stressful,” this stress can really pile up. Kian Mendoza, a Senior who works at a jewelry production shop, said that the stress is “Horrible, because scheduling anything is just really hard.” Mendoza elaborated, saying that by the time someone with a job gets home and eats dinner “it’s like nine P.M. at the earliest and then you still have work to do, so it’s really tiring.”
57.1% of survey participants with jobs said that they “slightly prioritize school” over work. Mendoza said that they prioritize school, adding that “I’m lucky enough to have a boss that is flexible with my hours so that if I can’t come in for any reason it’s okay.” Bouttakhanh said “I prioritize school a lot more,” explaining that she is able to do so “because I work at a family restaurant, they don’t try to… put too much [work] onto me.” Both Mendoza and Bouttakhanh emphasized that they were lucky to have jobs which allowed them to prioritize school.
Teachers, of course, are essential to helping their students overcome the stress of working while being in school. Nick DePascal, an English teacher at Sandia, said that he thinks being employed while being a student is “generally detrimental,” but “a lot of students have to work for different reasons. They sometimes are breadwinners in the family… and it’s unfortunate. But I also understand, too, some students do it because they’re 17 [or] 18, they want money, they want to be able to do stuff. So I think there’s a balance that can be struck between work and… school, but I think school has to work with students more… to make that happen.”
Therese Pacheco, a History teacher, disagreed with the opinion that jobs are detrimental for students, saying “It’s stressful, but beneficial… getting a job when you’re in high school is very important to do.” However, Pacheco agreed that jobs can be stressful, and that schools should work with students to cut down on this stress. “School is… a job itself. So I think that when you’re going to school and you have a job, it’s two jobs… If you have a job, talk to your teachers and… let them know when things come up and do some time management.”
Tara Palomares, a Math teacher, agreed that being employed is “a beneficial skill to have, however, I do think at times it's detrimental to [students’] academics.” She added that “employers should always encourage students to prioritize school. I think where students run into problems, and where I might say something different is when employers are pretty hard in terms of allowing students the flexibility with school.”
So, is it worth the stress to get a job? 57.1% of survey participants with jobs said that they would be somewhat likely to advise other students to get jobs, rating the likeliness 4 out of 5. Mendoza encouraged students to get “temporary jobs in the summer… Summer jobs and working as much as you can in the summer frees up your flexibility… during the school year.” Bouttakhanh said that “it really depends on how many AP [classes] or how many advanced classes or extracurriculars you’re taking. I feel like if you’re taking a lot of… AP or Honors classes… if you want to work, at most, only work probably two to three days, preferably on the weekends.”
In general, students and teachers agreed that it is possible for students to find a balance between school and work. However, this balance is much easier to find when students are supported by both their employers and their teachers. No matter what, having a job while in school will be at least a little bit stressful, but it is possible to mitigate that stress and enjoy the benefits of being a student employee.
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