The Lincoln Log

Her head sways to and fro; the lack of sleep is overwhelming. Suddenly, her supervisor enters, and startled, she sits up and fakes a smile. As soon as her supervisor leaves the room, she slouches back onto the counter. It was going to be a very long Sunday.

According to the National Consumers League (NCL), 70 to 80 percent of all teenagers work for pay sometime throughout their high school years. With the legal working age set at 16, the majority of working students are juniors and seniors. The problem with that is that junior year is of vital importance to those with competitive college dreams. Managing academics, work, and an active social life tends to become a challenge.

The huge amount of pressure put unto these students is often too much for them to handle.

Though students under the age of eighteen are restricted to work no more than twenty hours a week, all of that lost free time adds up. Less time for homework leads to later nights, less social time, and eventual seclusion.

“I think that [working] is a good thing for some students. Work teaches responsibility, but some students tend to take it more seriously than academics,” said English teacher Bobby Crotwell. “Some students are just doing too much.”

Balancing and prioritizing one’s time is a rather difficult skill to learn. Having to choose between making money and doing your homework is a hard choice, but in most cases, school should come before a job.

“It’s difficult to do well in school and have a job. I know that for many students, it’s important to have money, but if it interferes with school, they should realize what their priorities are,” said principal Ronald Pang.

There are cases where students must keep a job in order to support themselves or their families, as well as cases where student interns are required to attend work or trainings. Again, it is all about prioritizing.

“I know some people have to support families, but they have to [be able to] balance their time. It’s all about priorities.” said Pang.

Many students in Lincoln work, and the United States Department of Labor has estimated that 2.9 million students between the ages of 15-17 work during the school months.

During the summer months, it is estimated that 4 million students were working for pay.

Both students and teachers do believe that students benefit greatly from working at an internship or part-time.

“I think students who work learn responsibility,” said junior Joy San Buenaventura. “People have to be dedicated to working.”

Students who work have the opportunity to learn important life skills such as time-management, public speaking, and dependability.

“I think that it’s really good for students to work part-time, as long as it’s just part-time, like ten to fifteen hours a week. Studies show that students who work part-time do better in their classes,” said guidance counselor Alysia Carey. “I think it teaches students how to effectively manage their time and then also be responsible and gives them experience in the work world, which is a necessary thing.”

Work and school may be challenging, but there are always benefits that follow, whether the benefits be extra money or work experience. There are rewards to be found under all of that new stress, and all you have to do is learn how to balance your time.