Stingers work hard in school and out of school. As Stingers advance through grade levels, many take on jobs to gain responsibility and independence. Balancing a job with schoolwork is tricky. Students have to learn how to manage their time wisely and maintain a balance between homework while picking up shifts. Two interviews were conducted with students about their jobs and how they block out their schedules to keep a healthy relationship between work and school.
Sophomore Abbott Hoffman Suder created a lawn care company with a friend. Because Seven Hills is so challenging, Suder wanted to have flexible hours. Suder said, “I didn’t want to have a normal job. I wanted to work for myself.” By running his own business, he was able to expand his company while working on his own time frame. Suder’s hard work has paid off, as he now has the freedom to set his schedule and prioritize school work during busy times. Suder’s lawn care company is the perfect job to take on during school, as the majority of the work consists of mowing lawns when the weather is warm and sunny. Although this is usually the case, this winter in particular has brought lots of snow and cold, meaning that Suder has to shovel lots of driveways after school. Suder said, “It’s tough to manage my job plus school work, but I’m keeping my grades up decently and I try to do a lot of my work in free bells.” Despite these obstacles, Suder is able to efficiently manage his time and keep up a strong work ethic. Because of this, his lawn care business will surely continue to grow throughout the next few years.
Junior Hannah Olowokure works at Hollister in the mall. Olowokure enjoys her job, especially when she gets to interact with different customers and co-workers. She is able to build lots of social connections and strong relationships through her job. However, she described working at the cash register as an annoying part of her job because she is not able to move freely throughout the store even though she gets to interact with customers. When asked about how she manages a healthy school and work balance, she emphasized the importance of organization and building a schedule. Olowokure said that her best tip for managing an overwhelming amount of work is to “use free bells to the best of your ability and plan ahead.” By doing this, she can stay productive and keep up with the responsibilities that school brings. Olowokure takes an approach of planning and prioritizing certain things when juggling a busy schedule.
Upper School learning specialist Laura Dombek-Crain presented unique tips on how to balance work and school. During her high school career, Dombek-Crain learned how to maintain balance through many different jobs, such as being an assistant in a retirement home, and also working in a frozen yogurt shop. When considering how high school jobs have changed from when she was in high school to now, she stated “I feel like students now have many more opportunities and a wider variety of careers to choose from that will give them more work experience in the future.” Dombek-Crain’s tips for students consisted of heartfelt personal advice. She believes that it is important to know yourself and know your limits. A job will without a doubt bring stress, but too much stress can put a strain on your body and mind, making it hard to complete schoolwork. She mentioned, “taking care of yourself should always be your first priority.”
Balancing school and work is no easy task, but these experiences and tips from Suder, Olowokure, and Dombek-Crain show that with determination, good time management skills, and self-awareness, it is possible to excel in both a work and school environment. From running a lawn care business to working in retail, or reflecting on what past job experiences have taught, finding a tempo that works for you is the key to success. High school jobs provide lessons in independence, perseverance, and responsibility- skills that will undoubtedly serve students well in the future.
