by Sydney Morrison ’13

I strongly believe that getting a job in high school is one of the smartest things a teenager can do. Although I have only begun waitressing at Ledo Pizza this past March, it has already greatly impacted my life and the way I perceive the world. While high school has been fun, I wanted something more; more than the petty dramas that fill the halls and the page turning, lecture based curriculum I’ve dealt with for too many years. Last year I thought to myself, “I’m getting ready for college, and I’m not prepared.” I didn’t know how to handle lots of people or be professional in a workplace. I didn’t know what life was really like. So, I stopped watching television, stopped over-studying for everything, and got myself a job.

Being part of the working class is ten times better than being part of the Class of 2013. No offense guys, but when I walk into work I am finally surrounded by people who want to be where they are. I am also pulled out of the too structured, too orderly world that is education and thrust into the real world. Working is actually similar to schooling, in the sense that it’s highly demanding, a constant attempt to please people. But it’s also extraordinarily different. I have learned so many useful skills that I would’ve never picked up sitting in school. My communication skills have improved because I’m dealing with different kinds of people all day long. I deal with angry people in the restaurant, quiet people over the phone and demanding people every day. Seeing the same people in high school for four years makes you forget what it’s like to meet new people with unexpected personalities. Now I’m very aware of the characters I may have to deal with in the future (and how patient I might have to be with many of them). Since I began working at Ledo Pizza, I think of everything as unexpected. Because of this, I always perform my best. You never know what it could mean, or who could be watching. Thanks to work, I know how to handle a high stress situation. Doing hours of fast-paced work has become a breeze, something that the cyclical 45 minute class periods will never teach you.

Get a job. It’s my only advice. Because sitting on your butt in school just doesn’t allow you to experience what the real world actually demands.