Balancing school work and personal life is not easy, but for many Lane Tech students having a job is a necessity or a valuable experience. While some students thrive under the added responsibility, other struggle with exhaustion and stress.
Research shows that the number of hours students work can significantly affect their academic performance and well-being. A study published by the Journal of Educational Research found that increased work hours negatively affect students’ self-reported grades, even when considering factors such as family background and aspirations. Additionally, a study from Walden University’s study emphasizes that working over 20 hours per week may not provide value and can instead take away from personal time, which may lead to a negative perception of working.
Jovani Landa-Garduno, a senior who works 22 hours a week as a cashier at Jewel-Osco, describes how his schedule can sometimes interfere with his school responsibilities. “There will be days when I have to work basically immediately after school, and then sometimes those days go to midnight,” Landa-Garduno said.
Like many students, Landa-Garduno finds it difficult to balance his schedule. “I usually get my schedule for the week, the week before,” he said. “So then from those days, I have to decide what days I want to dedicate to homework, what days I want to dedicate to, like, myself or just rest.”
He acknowledges that it can be stressful but shares that he’s developed strategies: “A lot of communicating with my teachers,” he said. Keeping his teachers informed when work interferes with assignments helps him manage. “A lot of the time they do understand and they give me some extra time,” he added.
Mimi Flores, who worked around 10 to 12 hours a week, also struggled with balancing school and work. “It significantly impacted my school work,” she admitted with a sigh. “Things kept coming up, and sometimes I’d have to push my schoolwork back because I have work, and then I was just up late.” On top of her job, Flores is involved in student council and plays water polo, making time management even harder. She often sacrificed sleep to keep up. “Just don’t sleep until it’s done,” Flores said, “Like, sleep is the reward.”
Luke Meraz works 20 hours a week as a recreational leader at Olympia Park and has a different experience. “Honestly, most of the time I can do my schoolwork at work because I’m just, like, sitting at the desk waiting for calls,” Meraz said. He still finds it challenging to balance work with his social life, mentioning that it takes time away from the things he really wants to do. “Working so many hours out of the week, it kind of takes time away from stuff I want to do, like hanging out with people,” he said.
While Meraz doesn’t find his job to be too stressful, he said that it has actually improved his communication skills: “There’s a lot like, different people that walk into the park, I feel like it makes me more sociable” he said. Others, like Flores, admitted to struggling with exhaustion. “When I was working, there were some weeks where it felt like everything was crashing and burning,” she said.
For Nestor Mejia, a flexible schedule makes a big difference. “My work hasn’t really affected my academic performance,” Mejia said. “Half of my classes are music, and of my other four classes, most of them don’t give homework.” Mejia emphasizes that prioritizing school over work is key. “I also always make sure to prioritize school over work, which my workplace is very understanding of.” Mejia manages school by completing assignments during class and lunch, limiting work hours to 20 hours per week, and reserving weekends for personal time.
All four students said that time management is the biggest challenge of being a working student. Landa-Garduno advised, “Definitely, set up, like, some space, like if you can set your availability to give yourself time after school, either, before or after work to let yourself have time to complete what needs to be done.”
Similarly, even though Flores’ strategy is to sacrifice sleep, she emphasized this isn’t a strategy she recommends. “I know I sacrifice a lot of my sleep and like my mental health for working and getting everything done but don’t sacrifice that because you’re only a kid once, so just enjoy it,” she said.
Beyond the daily challenges, many students find that working will benefit them in the future. Mejia noted, “I do feel that working as a student will help me in the future. Mostly because working has taught me how to manage my time wisely, but has also helped me be more financially responsible and save up for future expenses.”
Working during high school is a valuable learning experience that teaches responsibility and independence. However, as these students have shown, it’s crucial to find a balance between work, school, and personal well being. By setting priorities, managing time wisely, and finding a supportive work environment, high school students can successfully navigate their jobs while keeping their education and health intact.
