When I turned 15, I took on my first paid employment at Tim Hortons. Many of my peers warned me that I was about to embark on a terribly difficult experience. Nevertheless, I still accepted the job. I wanted to work, and If that was what it took, I would face it as a challenge.
However, the job immediately proved to weigh me down. I started off working anywhere from 30-40 hours per week. It would constantly try me from all angles, putting my time, grades, and even confidence in jeopardy. In training, the customers did not show any sympathy if mistakes were inevitably made. I had little time for socializing, extracurriculars, or even schoolwork. However, perseverance was key, as I constantly worked at my weaknesses and built them up into strengths. I would stay up late and wake up early to do school work. I involved myself in sports and clubs that ran at lunch instead. It seemed impossible at first, however I did not give up.
Ultimately, I came out great at my job, excelling academically in school, and with endless transferrable skills in hand. In grade 12, I am able to now prioritize my academics ahead of work because I have made a sufficient amount of money ahead of time. Despite the difficulty, having a job is very important. Not only because it is important to save and plan for the future, it teaches you how to balance and prioritize responsibilities, deal with stressful situations, and work as a team towards a common goal. More specifically, I learned how to manage my time early in life. Now I know to plan out everything neatly to avoid both stress and being overloaded. I can attest to jobs in high school being difficult, but the benefits are infinite!
However, the job immediately proved to weigh me down. I started off working anywhere from 30-40 hours per week. It would constantly try me from all angles, putting my time, grades, and even confidence in jeopardy. In training, the customers did not show any sympathy if mistakes were inevitably made. I had little time for socializing, extracurriculars, or even schoolwork. However, perseverance was key, as I constantly worked at my weaknesses and built them up into strengths. I would stay up late and wake up early to do school work. I involved myself in sports and clubs that ran at lunch instead. It seemed impossible at first, however I did not give up.
Ultimately, I came out great at my job, excelling academically in school, and with endless transferrable skills in hand. In grade 12, I am able to now prioritize my academics ahead of work because I have made a sufficient amount of money ahead of time. Despite the difficulty, having a job is very important. Not only because it is important to save and plan for the future, it teaches you how to balance and prioritize responsibilities, deal with stressful situations, and work as a team towards a common goal. More specifically, I learned how to manage my time early in life. Now I know to plan out everything neatly to avoid both stress and being overloaded. I can attest to jobs in high school being difficult, but the benefits are infinite!