There is no doubt that having a job and going to school at the same time is difficult to balance. Finding time for yourself, having a social life and extracurriculars requires dedicated time management. But having a minimum wage job at a young age plays a huge role in growing up and maturing. I have seen it among myself, my siblings and many of my friends or peers.
There are many people that dream in becoming a boss/CEO or they're just power hungry, but won't actually put in the work to get there. You have to start somewhere and that typically is the bottom. This frightens my generation… no one wants to be at the bottom. What many don't realize is that you learn a ton from a minimum wage job. Of course no one wants to be paid $9.00/hr to do the odd jobs and something they're most likely not passionate about. But Someone has to do it. When you complete the job to the best of your ability and you're acknowledged, it feels great. This is how people get promoted and climb the ladder, you don't just graduate from college and automatically become a leader (Although many expect this).
What I've noticed most is that people learn respect from being at the bottom. After working in the food service or having any minimum wage job, teaches you that you're truly no better than anyone else. It's important to respect the person clearing your table or taking your order because they'd much rather be on the other side.
Working in your teenage years quickly makes you become more independent. Having a schedule, being on time, learning the job and having coworkers are all job factors that we have to learn at some point. The customer service skills will help you interview and talk to people with different types of personalities. Having a job like this will eliminate most people's self entitlement and it is easy to observe when talking to someone new. No one wants to work with someone who thinks they're better than everyone else. In my opinion, starting a job early really shapes the person you are and will teach you lessons that you can't learn in school.
