According to the National poll on Children’s Health, 44% of parents of teenagers believe having part time jobs will lead to a decline in academic performance and cause stress. Although these concerns may be true in some cases, I still believe that the pros to having a job outweigh the cons. 

As a high school student it is important to enjoy and savor every moment and live life to the fullest. Being able to make your own money is rewarding, and financial freedom as a teenager adds to endless possibilities and opportunities for memories. 

“The biggest way that having a job helps is that I don’t rely on my parents anymore like I buy my own concert tickets, pay for my gas, get take out whenever I want; like I just feel so independent, and it’s shaping me to not rely on my parents anymore, especially since I’m about to go off to college,” said senior Nathaly Quezada. 

Quezada continues to add that balancing a job and school has helped her manage her time well and helped her prioritize her responsibilities. 

A good portion of seniors are planning on going to college and entering the workforce after graduation. Juggling classwork and a job can be time consuming and can lead to burn out, but once you figure out a solid schedule and routine that works for you, it becomes manageable. Not to mention it’s preparing you for when you get out of high school, making the transition to higher education run more smoothly, as it’s not uncommon for college students to work both on and off campus jobs. 

“Students who work are more confident and possess better time-management skills than students who are not employed. In addition to offering a paycheck, some independence, and satisfaction, a part-time job can provide both training and experience,” stated College Board. 

Having a job doesn’t have to affect your academic performance because you are able to choose your availability and most jobs are flexible with scheduling. If you are prone to stress and get overwhelmed easily, then an easy fix would be to change your availability to the weekends and maybe one or two school days to allow yourself the needed time to complete assignments. Most of the time the fear of burnout is just an excuse to not get a job when it might help you in the long run. 

Maturity is what it comes down to; if you are serious about your education and also equally as serious about gaining job experience, then in no world would it be impossible to maintain balance in both areas.