For most students the thought of trying to juggle a job, school and maybe even a sport or extracurricular can be extremely overwhelming. Having a job while actively being in high school is something that very few students can pull off but the ones that do, while still maintaining good grades should be given a great amount of credit. Here are a few students who can do just that.
Senior Kate Buchler has a job working as a hostess at Tuscany, a restaurant in Westlake Village. She also plays high school soccer and still finds time to maintain good grades.
“I am very responsible and there’s a lot of pressure when seating people because servers will get mad if you don’t seat them in their section. It can be very stressful working, playing a sport and having a social life, but I make time,” Buchler said.
In a day Buchler will wake up, go to school, go to soccer practice, do all of her homework and then work a full shift at her job. Deciding to get a job is something that you have to deeply consider. Will you have the right work ethic or time in the day to not only do your job and school but also do it well?
Quality is very important in any job. Even getting hired in the first place is something that can be difficult. This typically requires a resume and some sort of experience. It can be nerve-wracking to even know what to say during an interview. That can be naturally learned by making time for a social life.
A lot of people tend to forget that when it comes to school and work you also want to remember to make time for friends and family. It is essential to your mental health to make time to hang out with your loved ones. Having a job can tend to consume you but the students at OPHS can prove that wrong.
When students make time for their friends they are getting exposure to the actual face-to-face interactions that it takes to feel comfortable in a real-life interview. Being very social is one of the main aspects that got Buchler hired. Being a hostess involves lots of small talk and interaction with others which she is good at because of her ability to make time for her friends.
Junior Maria Lopez works at Italia Deli in Agoura. She is also the varsity basketball team manager. Lopez was recently hired at Agoura Deli and explains how difficult the transition into junior year has been.
“The switch from sophomore to junior has been a bit more difficult but since basketball season hasn’t started I figured it would be a good idea to get a job, which is what I did. So far I have been able to make time for everything but it also has been hard at the same time,” Lopez said.
Getting a job at such a young age is something that will help anyone in the long run. Experience with customers is something that can only help you. This is one of the many reasons why Lopez applied in the first place.
When people eventually go to college or even graduate college the normal thing to do is get a job. Already having that prior experience will help especially when you have to provide for yourself as an adult. Having a job can set many students up for success if managed correctly.
Taking into consideration the fact that a job can be hard if not managed correctly, but it can also help you immensely and after hearing the experience of a couple of OPHS students, will you consider getting one?
