From the age of 16, I've always had a job. When I was younger than that, I babysat frequently and tried to find ways to make money on my own.
It is now about 2 years later from the day I got my first real job, and I can say that I'm sitting here writing this article currently holding 2 different jobs.
Every time I tell people this, I always get the same kinds of responses.
"Why do you have so many jobs? Don't you like to have fun? Why are you working? You are so young to have that many hours of work. Enjoy your life."
Blah. Blah. Blah.
I don't mean to discredit these statements. They are valid questions, and I have answers to all of them. But that doesn't stop me from getting slightly, if not extremely, annoyed when I get asked these questions.
I think that a lot of people my age don't really know what it's like to have to work hard for something. Growing up, my parents did well financially, and I always remember people telling me how I wouldn't have to work for anything because I could just live off my parents for the rest of my life. I remember, even as a kid, that this just didn't make sense to me. Sure enough...as soon as I turned 16, I went out a got a job. I felt a sense of pride knowing that I could take the burden off of my parents, even a little, by being able to pay for small things like gas for my car or my own food.
I think that having a job at a young age teaches you so many lessons. It really a truly shows you how to be more responsible. There are responsibilities that you acquire when having a job that you simply cannot have when you are only a student. Having a job teaches you how to be reliable and responsible. If you can't show up to school, the only person paying the price is you. If you can't show up for a shift, you are making other people's lives harder. It shows you accountability. I'm not saying you shouldn't go to school (obviously I am a full time college student myself), but having a job doesn't take all of your time.
Having a job at a young age teaches you how to deal with people on a personal level. I think that with all of this new technology, we get sucked into the idea that face to face communication isn't that important. Well...I'm here to tell you that it is everything. Being a server, the amount of money I make is totally dependent on how well I talk to people, and I have to be honest. I sucked at it at first. I stumbled through sentences when people asked me questions. However, since I've been doing it for a while now, I've learned that being real with people is more important than anything. That is how you build long lasting relationships.
When you have a job at a young age, it also teaches you how to plan a schedule and make time for things. As a full time student, I always have to set aside time to study. That way, if I want to hang out with friends later, I am able to because all of my school work is done.
All in all, having a job when you are in high school makes you a more well-rounded kid. It is completely possible to do all of the things that you want to do and still have a job. I promise you that it'll make you feel better to be able to sustain yourself a little bit.
