What do I do?!
Balancing school and a job

by: Amanda Brandon

Sig is a wonderful, yet stressful school. The classes are time consuming and demand many out of school study hours. The hard work pays off; however, many students become worried with the possibility of managing a job on top of school work. Sig junior, Karina Osipyan explains, "Don't take on too many hours of work." Indiana labor laws stress that students ages 14 and 15 only work 3 hour days while school is in session, and 16 and 17 year old may work up to 8 hour days. These laws are not only enforced due to safety concerns; they also limit work hours to ensure that teens will allocate enough time to complete homework.

The key to success is to organize and prioritize your work. "Don't take on anything that will make you too tires to study because this will definitely reflect in your grades". Staying organized and maintaining a comfortable working atmosphere will take away much of the negative pressure. As a teenager, must be top priority and all outside activities must be balanced and arranged around school. "I schedule work for days I have study hall. I also schedule my work shifts in comparison to the load of homework I have that night", she said. "I typically work every other day and every Friday and Saturday". Time management is adamant in juggling a job along with school. "Don't work for your parents!" advises Osipyan.

Many students often find that not having a job eliminates stress. Sophomore, Katelyn Utley finds this statement to be extremely true. "Sig is really challenging and I don't think I could hold a steady job now." Utley describes her lack of success in gaining a job by saying, "I tried getting a job, but I didn't think putting the heavy amount of effort into it was truly worth it...I think having a job is a wonderful idea if it's not consuming too many hours a week." Many students find themselves wanting a job; however, they also find that school occupies most of their time. "I wish I had a job but school takes up most of my time." Depending on the student and he or she's work ethic, a student may be able to have a job or may find it impossible. A job may fit in better for some than others. The key is to situate the job around homework and keep sight of the most important priorities, such as school and family.


Sources:
Teen Worker
AI Website