You should get a summer job so you can have experience in the workforce, and of course, saving money is always a plus too.

Right now, I work at McDonald’s and it is a little hard at first to balance school and work, but I have gotten used to it.

Many other students have a job so they can get experience and earn money in order to pay for items they may want or need, including college.

Many workplaces require you to be 16 to work such as Wal-Mart and Starbucks; however, some other places will hire you at 14 such as McDonald’s and Arby’s.

Sophomore Michael Reeb, who works at Arby’s, speaks about why he started working there.

”My friends were working at Arby’s,” Reeb said. “My managers are [also] super chill.”

It is always nice to have some kind of familiarity when you come out of your comfort zone. Having a friend that works somewhere can be nice to work there too, but be sure to stay focused on your job.

Another student who works at BGM that does janitorial contracting work is freshman Aiden Mosley.

“I work for 4 hours and make 60 bucks,” Mosley said.

Mosley is happy with the pay and wants to feel like he is getting a reasonable amount of money for his work.

Kelly Quinn is a teacher in the math department that had a high school job at Subway and recommends that students get a job “to learn responsibility.” 

“I also wanted extra money to do things with my friends in high school and save for college,” Quinn said.

Reeb also explains that students need to be self-aware of whether a job is right for them, especially during the stress of the school year.

“[It] depends if they have time [and] if they can handle it,” Mosley said.

This is true because no one wants to be overwhelmed with an extra-curricular, so if you have time, it would be good to make that free time useful.

Quinn made meaningful connections with her co-workers as she went about her high school position.

“I did not love the fast-food industry, but the people I worked with ended up being my closest friends,” Quinn said. 

Students should keep in mind that if they plan on getting a summer job,  it’s not meant to be fun, but to teach them about the world.