Throughout high school, students have a lot to balance, such as extracurricular activities, school work, and keeping up with friends. Some even take on part-time jobs, occasionally choosing positions that match their interests.

Whether it’s for income, experience, or personal growth, students holding jobs said they often find that while juggling both school and work can be rewarding, it’s also a difficult experience. 

Junior Daniel Garbitelli, who has worked at a local pool since last July, explained that he understands the need to balance responsibilities. 

“I’ve been working continuously at that pool as both a lifeguard and a swim instructor,” Garbitelli said. “Most of the people I work with are really nice people.”

He enjoys the job and appreciates the real-world lessons it teaches him.

Garbitelli shared a deeply personal experience that had a lasting impact on him along with the way he views responsibility and compassion, inspiring his desire to take a lifeguarding class and get CPR certified.

“I was playing Monopoly with my siblings during spring break, and the guy went into cardiac arrest on my sidewalk in front of my house and my mom knew CPR,” he said. “She rushed out the door and saved his life.”

Seeing his mom work quickly to rescue someone in critical condition showed him the importance of having that ability. 

“I wanted to be able to know the skills to save someone’s life if it was necessary,” he said. 

However, his job comes with its challenges. 

Balancing work and his other responsibilities often tests his time management skills, especially during busy school weeks. 

“It does constrain my social life,” Garbitelli said. In between shifts, homework, and his social life, free time is often limited, but he still believes that all the work he puts in is worth it because of the skills he’s been able to gain.

Not every student experiences that same level of pressure. For sophomore Amelia Chapman, keeping up with school and her job has been a lot more manageable because of the limited hours she works.

“I only work like one or two times a week,” Chapman said.

Chapman is an aerial coach for younger kids, specializing in circus arts like trapeze and lyra.

For her, and for many students, their job offers more than just a paycheck: it supports personal growth. 

Chapman feels strongly about the positive impact that her job has on her life, citing how much she loves it. 

Her advice to others is simple: “Find a job you don’t hate,” she said.

Because aerial is her favorite thing to do, it makes the job easier for her. 

“I really love being able to share my passion with others,” she said. “I love how excited kids get when I get to teach them.”

While junior Max Jensen agrees that working has a lot of long-term benefits, he also acknowledges its challenges, and explained that he experiences the lack of time and pressure with more intensity.

Jensen serves as a parking director, helping guide visitors and ensure they know where they are going while in McMenamins Edgefield, a hotel and concert venue. He noted that the difficulty of balancing everything can lead to stressful situations, including late nights trying to keep up with school work can be hard at times. 

“Sometimes I feel overwhelmed,” Jensen said.

Despite these challenges, Jensen believes that the experience pays off.

“I am a step ahead,” he said, referring to the skills he’s building before graduation. 

From his perspective, his job is preparing him for adulthood by teaching him time management, responsibility, and overall life skills. One aspect of the job he appreciates is the opportunity to interact with people, which he enjoys because it allows him to develop social skills.

Although many students share the same belief, demands on work and school can be difficult to juggle. However, all three expressed that the experience and lessons they are learning is worth it.