Students balance school, social life and work

While summer jobs are popular among high schoolers, it’s not as common to find a student who holds down a job during the school year. Sports schedules, homework and social events seem to deter most students from pursuing one. However, the ones who are so brave as to take on the responsibility of balancing school, work, and their social life find their experiences to be very fulfilling.

While one job may seem like plenty to occupy a teenager’s time, having two jobs is apparently a very feasible commitment. Whitefish High School senior Rachel Dunlap works not only at the downtown restaurant Tupelo Grille as a hostess, but one can also find her at Red Caboose on a weekend night.

“I chose to work at Red Caboose because I really adore the people who not only work there, but the ones I have the opportunity to meet,” she said.

She spoke highly of her manager at Red Caboose who has been more like a mentor.

Working both weekend nights can be a bit overwhelming. Rachel said that she doesn’t “get much of a chance to recuperate after a long week at school,” which can be fairly taxing when the week before was filled with essays and tests. But she said that it’s definitely worth it, and that having a job has improved her work ethic, enhanced her social skills and made her see people in new perspectives.

Emma Nixon is a senior at Whitefish High School and her weekend mornings consist of waking up early and working as a housekeeper and kitchen aid at the Garden Wall Inn. This job has helped her gain some unique experience in the kitchen, learning shortcuts and classic French recipes. She describes her expertise as “Downton Abbey skills” which compels her to “pay attention to the little things because they are just as important.”

Attention to detail and the willingness to deal with challenging situations are two main aspects of her job. She described a situation in which they had to prepare “four different breakfasts for one seating because of customers’ allergies and preferences.”

It’s these kind of exacting circumstances that can help shape a person’s character, and learning these lessons at a young age gives her a huge advantage for the future.

Although taking on a job during the school year can be a lot to deal with for some students, the benefits can outweigh the drawbacks as long as one is organized.

One great thing about getting a job as a teenager is that the opportunities seem to be everywhere. There are all sorts of businesses looking for part-time help and the practical experiences gained on the job are invaluable. The extra cash isn’t a bad reason either to seek out work, especially when it’s going toward a student’s college tuition or car insurance.

Or maybe just to buy a coffee on the way to school.

— Cassidy Grady is a senior at Whitefish High School