High school is meant to be a time full of fun and relaxation before entering the dreaded adult years with the daunting responsibilities. However, these years and obligations have come early for the members of St. Dominic who work part time jobs. These jobs may be part of the reason students keep thinking to themselves, “oh why do I live this way?”

Well, it must be the monaye. Most juniors and seniors of the St. Dominic community have jobs. Why? A main reason is needing money for food, gas or for other social events. Other reasons include the more responsible side of things like saving money for college. No matter the reason, there are many up sides to having a job in high school.

“I think that high school kids having a job is a great idea. Getting an early start on working will give you a good perspective of working in the real world,” said junior Megan O’Brien.

“I love my job. I work at Texas Roadhouse in O’Fallon and it is a really good working environment. We are like one big family, and I love all the individuals I work with. I think it’s good to work in high school since it holds the person to a sense of responsibility,” said senior Lexi Browning.

However, with the good comes the bad. Having a job can interfere with school work and time with your family and friends, not to mention it adds unnecessary stress.

“I have to be very responsible and pay extra attention to when I am scheduled and work around school and extra curricular activities, which can be very stressful. Having to work has also kept me from many high school or friend events which is something I severely dislike,” said Browning.

Not only does having a job interfere with events such as football games and time with friends, but it also adds anxiety to trying to fit everything into one day.

“I had to miss one of my last home football games because my work wouldn’t give me off and I don’t think it should be like that. It’s also very hard to go to school all day, go straight to work, eat dinner, shower and do homework. It feels like there isn’t enough time for it all,” said Browning.

“Having a job in high school can be hard at times because you’re committed to a work schedule. When last minute plans pop up, you could miss out on a ton of fun experiences,” said senior Lauryn Torluemke.

No matter the cost, working is definitely a part of life. It’s good to have the experience before diving headfirst into college and “the real world.” Although working a job and balancing times for school and social aspects in high school can be a huge challenge, it is definitely worth it in the long run.