Entering high school at WHHS comes with some obvious challenges: harder tests and more of them, grueling college preparatory curriculums and a mountain of homework each and every night.

Those are just a few of the surface-level problems, however, for some students, when the school day ends, the work day begins.

For student-workers, juggling academics, work and a social life can be tricky. Going to a party may mean giving up studying for a test. Work may prevent you from doing your homework. School work can even stop you from getting a job at all.

It creates a cycle and the key to maintaining the standards you set for yourself is having a balanced schedule to fall back on.
SENIOR Forrest Meyer works at Cane’s and discussed some of the struggles that came with working during the school year, “[When the school year started] I had to message my general manager to cut my hours so I could have more time for schoolwork and social things,” Meyer said.

When the going gets tough, asking your boss for fewer hours can be helpful to keep yourself in a good rhythm to avoid burnout.

Oftentimes, the hardest part of being a student-worker isn’t the work itself, but the day of school that lies before it. “[In the first few months] it would kind of ruin my day at school because I would just dread working before that,” Meyer said.

Recharging and finding healthy things to do can be instrumental in this process, “I spend a lot of time alone actually, I listen to a lot of music and I also journal,” Meyer said.

SENIOR Danny Dargatz is an employee at Graeter’s Ice Cream and discussed the reason he got a job in the first place, “I needed some money to go out, have fun, buy clothes, [buy] food and prepare myself for college expenses,” Dargatz said.

For juniors and seniors, the price tag of college is looming and saving becomes a must, though everyday expenses add up.

There is a level of sacrifice that goes into having a job, so students have to decide what they value most.“I’m trying to work less on the weekends so I have time for social life,” Dargatz said. “But within the week I have no time at all.”

It can be easy for bosses to take advantage of high school workers by giving them more hours than they can handle, so it is important to find your limit and stick to it.

“Take it slow, ease into it, if you start off with too many hours it can hit you really hard and you can fall back academically,” Dargatz said.

Dargatz shared advice on how to stay level-headed and balanced. “Consistency and a good schedule… and the gym.”

Growing up can feel confusing. There is so much thrown at you so quickly, whether it be in the form of a job, school, internships, college, sports or friendships.

Taking time for yourself is equally important as all of these things, and once you find your balance, there’s no going back.