The struggle for survival is what mankind exists for. First you are born, then you go to school and then you have kids.

No. The wise people then go to college, earn a degree, have a stable financial position, get married and then have kids! But among this circle of life, teenage life is the best part. This is because there is simply no limit to how much you can do in these years. So many activities and so many opportunities knock on your door. Parties, movies, sports, eating out with friends and going on trips are just some of them. But who pays for all this stuff? No. Mommy and Daddy do not pay for everything. This is why high school students are leaning towards after-school and part-time jobs.

Wenyin Metcalf, a senior, has two after-school jobs that vary from an hour and a half to eight hours, almost four days a week. She enjoys both of her jobs. “It really does not affect my studies in any sort of way.” She is happy with her jobs and is expected to continue them as long as she needs and wants to.

On another hand, Maya Saelee, a junior, has no after-school job. But she has applied for one and is really excited to get a call back. She too thinks that an after-school job is a necessity for a high school teenager. She said, “I don’t have to go to my parents anymore for extra money.” Moreover, she is confident that she has her studies and work figured out accordingly so that they will not collide. She is thinking of keeping her job until the end of high school.

From a parent’s point of view, it is a whole different subject. Cheryl Lubeck, the mother of John Lubeck, has been seeing her son going back and forth from work since his junior year at West High. She thinks that a part-time job that takes up more than 6 to 7 hours a day is not really appreciated. She said, “I don’t like him working that much because he is missing out on his sleep and a lot of evenings. He is always moving around.” In addition, she said that it is up to John to decide. But she would really like him to spend more time in the house.

Ms. Chemene, the front office secretary, has a different point of view. She thinks that some children can manage their time well and study along their jobs. But there are other students who flunk and misuse their times in their jobs. “Sometimes, they miss school and their grades just drop”, said Ms. Chemene. Almost 60 percent of the students have after school jobs and most of them are part-time.

There are a lot of benefits of after school jobs. Teenagers obtain valuable work experiences. Also, they learn how to effectively manage finances. In addition, they form good work habits and learn time management skills.

On the other hand, research suggests that teenagers who work more than 20 hours a week have more chances of drug and alcohol abuse. They even fail classes at schools and are more likely not to be involved with school activities. Moreover, it causes a lot of stress. Students fail to balance between school and work.

But for job seekers, summer employment is an excellent alternative, as it does not interfere with schooling and give teenagers more time for constructive thinking. Possible jobs are landscaping, retail stores, logistics etc.

Thus, part-time jobs can be a wonderful experience, with the right supervision and parental guidance.