Many high school students participate in clubs and activities besides their school work or have a job or club outside of school. At what point is it too much for a student that it harms their education? As a person who works 40+ hours a week, I understand the struggle of juggling work and school. Having jobs, clubs, or sports to deal with on top of school leaves you with little time throughout the day to work on classes or anything academic. However, I feel it keeps me prepared for the world in the future, and it keeps me busy so that I constantly feel accomplished.
Activities in addition to school build character because you have to set a goal to finish your tasks on a given day. It can teach things that just listening to hard choices or decisions won’t. Senior Zachary Bellis shares this belief. “While it is difficult to find time for everything,” says Bellis, “it makes completing goals that you have set for yourself that much better, and keeping busy definitely keeps you out of trouble.”
There are some students who love juggling school and their extracurricular activities or jobs; it keeps them busy and doing stuff so they feel fulfilled. Joe Sprout explains, “I feel pretty good about juggling school and a job. Yes, it’s stressful at times, but it has taught me how to use every ounce of my time to the fullest extent.”
Unfortunately, there are some that don’t like it but have to do it for either themselves or their family. Many students have no choice but to provide for themselves or others and must take on a job for the sake of these people. Junior Evan Fliesher is the only contributor on his farm after family complications, He explains, “We sold a lot of our cattle and only have some beef. To make it easier on me, I put my whole personal life on hold most of the time to contribute to the farm. If I don’t get it done no one will, so I feel obligated to work on it so it gets done.”
Many students work in order to build on themselves and only for themselves to learn how to juggle their schedule. Others have jobs and extracurricular activities because they like it. Then there are some who are obligated to work to provide for their family and don’t have much of a choice. Overall, work can be beneficial to a student to help them grow; but, it is important to not do too much work so that you still have time for yourself.
