Inside the Minds of Students Who Work VS Those Who Don’t

Throughout the years of high school, many students tend to have jobs. Whether it’s to save money for after school or to just have some extra spending money, how does having a job affect those students?

Hanné Ghanem (12) shared her input on her stress levels while having a job and going to school. “It can cause some stress especially when I have to work on days that I need to work on homework. I usually don’t get home until really late and don’t have time to do my homework,” said Ghanem. When it comes to extracurriculars, Ghanem has a way to balance work and school. “I just let my dad, who is also my employer, know when I need to have the day off,” she shared.

Jobs may make it harder for students to focus on their education and get the recommended amount of sleep needed each night. Ghanem admitted, “I have bad sleeping habits because my mind won’t shut off, especially if something happened during work.” She continued, “If something happened the night beforehand, it can mess with my mood the next day. My dad often takes his frustrations about the restaurant out on me because I’m the one who’s there most of the time and knows what he’s talking about.”

Gage Rowe (11) shared his input on his stress levels without having a job but still attending school. “It’s a lot easier to do my work without having to think about going to work and getting home late,” he explained. As for extracurriculars, Rowe said, “Yes, if I wanted to join a club I could, but I would rather go home.”

Rowe shared how his sleeping schedule is. “I usually just stay up late,” Rowe expressed. “Sometimes I go to bed earlier to get more sleep but not a lot.” Rowe said, “I feel like it would affect me a little. I already stay up later than most and I have a lot of free time. If I got home late for work I could do homework and then go to bed.”

Having a job while also attending school can put a lot of stress on most students. Some, like Ghanem, do not get enough sleep if she stays working late at the restaurant because she has school the next morning. It all just depends on the student and how they feel they can handle the situation.