Missed Opportunity

Who doesn’t like money? Money can get you most things in life—you can buy a new car, some cool clothes and some of the latest technology, all of which are things most teenagers want. But sometimes, parents aren’t willing to pay for them. So what can teenagers do? Often an after-school job can get them the money they want.Many high school students in the United States consider employment an important part of their high school experience. Many teenagers work shifts because they want the money to buy new stuff, or maybe they need it in order to pay for a good education. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, by the time teens graduate from high school, 80 percent of them will have had a part-time job at some point in the school year. Most of these teens work 20 hours a week, but some of them work full time (35+). Is it worth spending all of this time working, in addition to going to school?There are some benefits to after school jobs. Jobs prepare teenagers for the “real world,” by providing them with a sense of responsibility and teaching them to be independent. Teenagers also obtain valuable work-experience, which is great for resumes and college applications. Working can also keep them out of trouble. For teenagers, it is appealing to work because they earn their own money, learn time management skills and bolster their college applications.An after-school job, however, does have some drawbacks. For instance, a student who works shifts after classes may find it hard to complete all of his or her homework assignments on time. In addition, one might have to give up certain things to maintain a job, such as school clubs, spending time with friends or even sleep. Having a job can lead to more stress, lower grades and can sometimes even give a teenager negative views on work early on, depending on the conditions of the workplace. Research seems to suggest that students who work 10 hours or less a week reap the benefits of employment, whereas those who work over 20 hours a week suffer some of these consequences.As Exonians, we really do not have the opportunity to have jobs because our schedules are tightly packed with loads of homework, papers and tests, in addition to clubs and school activities. Having a job while at a school like Exeter would add unnecessary stress to students’ lives, which would probably outweigh the benefits of a job. Exeter does offer an alternative way of working for students, called proctoring. Students can “work” in places such as the library, the weight room, the church or at WPEA. But proctoring isn’t the same as having a real job. We miss out on “the real world” experience. Normally, students who proctor just sit around without having any important communication with other people and don’t really make important connections or gain any valuable skills that a real job would provide.At Exeter, the best way to get work experience and not have it interfere with school life is to have a summer job or even just an internship. In the summer, you can work more hours with less stress and without worrying about schoolwork at the same time. Depending on where the teen works, he or she can acquire different skills that they would usually get at Exeter, such as talking to a wide range of people, being able to manage his or her time better and learn how to use their money wisely. This can be a great way to earn some cash and experience at the same time. And since it’s in the summer, students will still be able to have some study time, downtime and social time.