Some students find themselves having to pay for gas money for the family car or even saving up to buy a car for themselves. Some are a little more lax with their money, choosing to buy clothes or spend it at Garden Catering. Other students, especially upperclassmen feel the responsibility of saving some of their money for college. No matter the reason, getting a job can take a lot of time and effort.
One of the biggest problems facing students is actually finding jobs open to high school students. In the downward economy,
employers are less likely to hire workers with little
experience and limited work schedules. Melissa D’Agostino (’12)
remembers going “application crazy” before landing a job at Staples. Other students, such as Jesse Tiffen (’11), have thought about getting a job, but find it difficult to manage without a license or car.
Juggling afterschool activities, homework, and a job can be difficult as well. Many students who found work over the summer had to quit at the start of the school year. Students still working have to learn to schedule their time around work or choose to work less hours. Weekends often mean long workdays, after which school can actually come as a blessing says Melissa D’Agostino, who also said work “taught her how to schedule time better, and made her become an adult.”
Overall, students need to decide if working sixteen or more hours a week at minimum wage is something they are really interested in. “If you’re gonna’ work, make sure you really want to work” said D’Agostino. In the end, having an afterschool job certainly has both short and long term benefits.
McMahon students continue to exemplify a commitment to work in and out of school, so for those students who are applying, make sure they know you are a Senator!
J.C. ('11)
