Senior year is such a busy time as a student, but throw a job on top of it all and it becomes a whirlwind. I have been employed for about two years now, so I have my fair share of experience balancing my school, work and personal life. I am going to be completely honest, most of the time, it sucks. On the other hand, I would not trade my experiences at my job for anything.

I work at Culver’s, the pinnacle of Midwestern dining. I have been fortunate enough to have been promoted to manager. As a result of my position, I spent most nights running around like a chicken with its head cut off, cursing the inventor of frozen custard. I work long weeks, between 40-50 hours, solely because I need the money. Most days, I have a hard time. The food industry is ruthless, man.

Despite my endless complaining about my work, I truly love the people I work with. I have made some of my best friends through Culver’s. I love hanging out with them, bantering back and forth and working side by side. There is nothing better than getting into a rhythm on a busy day with your favorite employee, and absolutely killing it. Once the rush has passed, you’ll look to one another and applaud your counterpart’s work. Being thrown into situations such as these have built up my communication skills more than I could have ever imagined. Whether it be yelling orders to my coworkers or defusing a situation with an angry customer, I am now never afraid to back down from a challenge. I am confident in my ability to communicate well in order to get the job done, something I probably could not say if not for my baptism by fire experiences at Culver’s.

Along with this, I have learned to take pride in my work, no matter how meaningless it may seem. I am always looking for ways to be faster, ways to improve my effectiveness. I yearn to be the best at what I do, a quality I lacked before earning a spot on the TRUE BLUE CREW™. Yeah, the whole corporate marketing thing is tacky, but it’s just one more thing to joke with your coworkers about.

It seems silly to think a job at a teenager would really help in the long run, but it really is a great thing to go through. I highly recommend getting a job, especially for senior year. There is far too much upside to pass on this opportunity. Trust me. You’ll learn how to multitask, manage time, communicate etc. You may think you know how already, but there is always room for improvement. You may find some of your best friends. You’ll have another thing to add to that college resume. You won’t be broke! Doesn’t that sound great? Don’t be foolish, get a job.