It’s the final day of school and the final bell rings for the last time until August. There are supposed to be three months of freedom ahead, but then it suddenly hits, summer is no longer just a happy break in between school years. Now there is more responsibility, and it comes in the form of a job. Managing a summer job can be difficult but many students learn to make it work.
High school students all over the world get summer jobs to help support their lifestyles. In Fort Thomas, it looks a little different, as the community is so supportive and tight-knit. Many students work at organizations all over the city, whether that might look like retail indoors or a lifeguarding job in the sun like Max Bauer (11), everyone has to find a way to manage their free time and work.
“I get overwhelmed trying to plan things and then trying to talk to the pool manager of what days she can give me off. Then also even talking to my fellow lifeguards about maybe switching days out. The really only overwhelming part is just planning this stuff and making sure that I have that balance,” Bauer (11) said.
The big transition from school to summer can feel like a challenge. As students get older, their responsibilities get greater and they become more independent. Getting a job takes maturity to manage what someone can get out of it.
“I’ve learned that it’s a very big maturity switch from being able to do these things with this money that your parents give you, and going to, in the summer when you want to do fun things, you have to pay for them yourself, and that’s why you get money,” Vera Knight (9) said.
Finding a way to both work and enjoy summer can often be challenging. Students want to be able to spend time with their friends and family, while also working. Athletes, such as Ava Muzumdar (12), have some prior experience tackling this challenge.
“I have always been good at balancing my free time and balancing things like athletics and school. I guess just what goes into building my work schedule is having time to hang out with friends, especially being a senior this year and it is kind of like my last summer,” Muzumdar (12) said.
For students, making enough money for everything they want to do but also having enough time to do that activity is a very fine line. Using strategies such as communication or looking ahead can be helpful. Even planning further into the future can help to figure out how much saving up is needed to achieve personal goals.
“There has to be a balance between how many days you want to work to get enough money so you’re satisfied for whatever future ambitions you might have, and you also need to balance that with what you actually want to do for the summer,” Bauer (11) said.
While some students may get a summer job strictly for the money, others truly love what they do. Having something to do over the summer that is enjoyable, and pays, can be a valuable way to spend time. Maggie Frimming (9) works at her dance studio to help younger children learn what she also loves.
“Most people would say it is about the money but I think it is just seeing the kids just so excited to do it and helping them through it and it just makes me love doing it,” Frimming (9) said
