Balancing Work and School

Jennifer Fan
Staff Writer

Taking up a job at a local grocery or retail store may seem like an easy way to gain some pocket money, but do you have time for it? Many high school students are bombarded with hours of homework every day along with their extracurriculars such as sports and service clubs. On top of it all, students are expected to spend countless hours studying for AP tests, the SAT and the ACT.

Before you apply for a job, be sure to know how many hours you would be working every day, including the time necessary to commute, and consider whether you could balance your work time with your other responsibilities. If you do not have any extracurriculars on the weekends, find a job that only requires you to work a few hours on Saturday and Sunday. Thus, you would not have to worry about going to work after school, then completing your homework late at night.

If you would rather choose to work on a weekday, Wednesday and Friday are the best options. Most school days on Wednesdays are on collaboration schedule, giving you more time to complete your schoolwork after your job. Fridays will allow you to rest after your shift because you have the weekend to complete your homework.

According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, the more hours a student works, the more their academic grades fall and the less likely they will engage in extracurricular activities and stay in college. Remember that as a student, school should be your priority. If you are not completely sure that you will be able to stay on top of school, do not commit to a job.