Mayfield students/Handles workers serve ice cream to the Mayfield community.
During the fall quarter at Mayfield, seniors are busy touring schools, writing essays, and submitting their college applications. Managing one’s time while balancing schoolwork, extracurriculars, and applications is difficult enough. However, many seniors also have jobs, which adds another level of responsibility to their lives.
Underage students in California can work 48 hours a week, and only 4 hours on school days. While the limits are in place to prioritize success in school, many students find that their jobs take up too much of their time. Senior Olivia Laguna recounts that “there were weeks I would work every day after school. It made it hard to finish all my homework and work on my college applications.” Another Mayfield student, Erin Erikson ‘25, also explained how working impacts her school responsibilities. “I try to work about 3-4 times a week but more recently I have been working twice a week because of college applications.” Many students work every day of the summer, and get used to having a packed schedule. However, the start of school, more specifically senior year, is a wake up call to many students. In order to stay on task, it is necessary for these students to reevaluate their schedule to maximize academic success and focus on college applications.
In order to balance both work and school schedules, students at Mayfield have found that it is important to limit technology use and not procrastinate. On days Erikson works, she explains that “I know I need to be diligent and use my time well. I don’t really go on my phone on those days.” She also takes advantage of her free periods, which allow her to get work done during the day so she can work at night. Additionally, Olivia Laguna uses her free periods to combat procrastination. “I have two free periods, so I have one every day,” she explains, “I use them to finish my homework and study for tests before work.” Senior Sol Johnson, a hospital volunteer, explains that “It’s hard because I try to use my weekends for college apps, due to a week full of my extracurriculars, but my volunteering schedule cuts away from that time. Managing my time is all worth it though, because volunteering has been such a rewarding way for me to stay attached to my community.”
No matter how time consuming working as a high schooler is, it is an extremely important and beneficial experience to have. Erikson, a senior at Mayfield, works at the popular ice cream store Handles. “Having a job in high school is beneficial for me because it keeps me busy,” she explains, “I like to constantly be doing things. I am also very lucky because I get to work with all my friends and meet new people.” Sol explains that it has “been given valuable glimpses into the real world and different lifestyles, especially because I am volunteering in the middle of a culturally rich area of Los Angeles.”
Employment during high school can help teenagers gain important skills needed for their future. One of these skills is customer service. Laguna revealed that “My job working at an ice cream store helped me get comfortable talking to more people.” She also explained how “I’ve met some of my best friends at work and am more confident in practicing the Spanish I’ve learned at Mayfield.” Aside from customer service, jobs allow teenagers to get familiar with managing money. Erikson described that “it is nice having that extra money to spend or save.” Having financial freedom helps high school students prioritize their finances before they get full independence in college.
Having a job in high school is a great way to gain maturity, responsibility, and make a step towards adulthood.
