When you think of a lifeguard, I'm sure Baywatch comes to mind or the mouth-to-mouth scene from the movie The Sandlot, but it's not similar to either of those. (Even though I wish the Baywatch one was.) After lifeguarding for the past four summers I came to find out that in reality, it's much different.
There are many incentives to the job including the obvious one being…
THE TAN
I have probably heard “You basically get paid to get a tan” about 1,000 times. This is right, but there is way more to lifeguarding than just getting 50 shades darker. The getting tan part is just one of the pros of being a lifeguard. (Sunscreen is still crucial and important though.) Only bad part about the dark tan is that I still have permanent tan lines from 2015.
NEW PALS
You work with the same group of people everyday, so you eventually acquire individual relationships with each one of them. They become your work family and you will have days where you love them or want to knock them out with your rescue tube. You do need to get close to them because that one morning when you feel like you’re on your deathbed, your work BFF will hopefully cover that shift for you.
DOLLAR $IGN$
After working 30-hours one week, exhausted from being constantly in the sun, and missing out on Tiffany’s darty, that paycheck makes it more than worth it. Nothing’s better than that feeling of accomplishment and seeing more than the usual 5 bucks in your bank account.
You’ve heard some of the positive sides of lifeguarding, but just like everything else in life there are a few cons to the job as well.
THE “DELINQUENTS”
I feel so old and cranky typing the word delinquents, but that is the best word to describe the children/middle school students going through their teenage angst stage who never listen to me. My favorite is when they think it's okay to drown each other for fun or to sprint around the pool area. It’s just a continuous cycle of whistle blows and yelling.
BAD WEATHER = NO PAYCHECK
Of course, for safety reasons, if an outside pool area hears thunder or sees lightning everyone has to evacuate the water immediately, and it can sometimes lead to the pool closing or not opening at all that day. It is nice to have the occasional lazy rainy days though.
CUSTODIAN DUTIES
We actually have to do more than just sit on our butts and scan the water. After the day is over we go from lifeguards to janitors. We take out the trash, maintain the pool, and see what the lovely patrons left behind for us in the bathrooms.
Overall, being a lifeguard is a great experience. You have the ability to save lives and it is an amazing way to spend your summers. I highly recommend this job, and don't worry the pros always outweigh the cons.
