You finally get home from work at 9:30 P.M., you shove your dinner down your throat quickly so that there is time to do homework before going to bed. In the middle of your assignment you blink for just a little too long and wake up to an alarm clock ringing at 6 A.M. the next morning. That same night you repeat the process. 

Everyone gets stressed at times and everyone faces obstacles throughout their life but some may never realize how stressed working teenagers truly are in today’s society. 

PLHS is filled with a vast amount of students that not only hold the weight of their GPA and grades on their shoulders, but also carry the responsibility of having a part time job as well. 

Although the job is technically part time, it feels like a full time job for students that have to balance between work and school. 

“On average I work around 18 hours a week,” junior Courtney Withers said. “I [also] take 8 classes at school.”

Having a job while being a student not only takes away from grades, but it can also affect students’ involvement in different activities and clubs.

“I don’t have time to go to after school clubs,” Withers said. “Missing out on the things I voluntarily go to is really disappointing and hard to work around.”

Although at times having a job is difficult to balance, there is always a bright side to the situation. 

“I absolutely love my job!,” Withers said. “I enjoy being around the kids [at kid’s club] especially because I am really shy around older folk people.”

There will always be ups and downs in every situation but it makes one wonder what educators and employers can potentially do to help out their students.

“I would say to give more time in class for homework or just not give it at all,” Withers said. “Half the time kids aren’t even doing it or they are copying it from their friends.”

Regardless of all of the dedication required to be a working student, it all becomes worth it in the end. 

“Don’t over stress yourself,” Withers said. “If you need to take fewer hours that is not going to hurt anyone; school should be just as [much] a priority as work.”