Working while still in school has allowed me to appreciate how much free time I had before I had a job. Before I had a job I was hanging out with friends a lot and doing whatever I wanted at that moment. Now, I have to plan ahead for anything I want to do with friends, family, or just doing what I want for myself.

Since I’m still in school and I work I have limited hours to myself. I use my free time to play games and sleep. I need a balance in my life between hard work and having fun, unfortunately right now it’s like a 70/30 between the two with school and work taking up most of my time. I work at McDonalds and I work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday for about five hours a day. 

I started working right before the end of the school year in 2021—while I was still in school—and while working before summer my grades suffered due to being so tired. Eventually, I stopped trying to wake up in the morning for school and barely passed my classes. 

“I have a lot less free time and when I didn’t work or have school I was resting for my next shift.”

Work also affected my social life and frienships.  My friends and peers shared a lot of the same concerns.  All of my friends having jobs really inconvenienced us when it came down to being friends and seeing each other. I asked them how having a job affected them with their social life and school and one said, “I just became really tired in school and I would sleep during class and my grades got a little low.” We didn’t know each other’s schedules so we would make plans based on our own schedules and ended up canceling because of work related activities.

But having a job gave us more opportunities when we were together; we had our own money to spend so we could go to the movies or to a trampoline park. We stopped talking after a while and all focused on ourselves with school and work. I didn’t like that the friends I’ve had since third grade were barely interacting so since we all started working I’ve reduced my hours so I can have fun with my friends, yet make money, and still keep my grades up.