Working while being a student sounds doable until you’re actually doing it. People say having a job in high school teaches responsibility, time management, and prepares you for the future. Usually, there is no mention of the exhaustion, stress, or the feeling of constantly being pulled in every direction.
I know what it’s like to be overworked. I don’t just have one job, I have three. I’m a manager at a Michoacana, a manager in a family-owned catering business, and a finance and marketing manager for a hair company. I started working in the catering business at 13, helping my mother contribute to our household.
Now, between school, clubs, and work, my days are packed from morning to night. Most nights, I get home late, too tired to do homework but knowing I have to push through. Sleep? That’s a luxury. Some days, I sit in class fighting to keep my eyes open, my brain too exhausted to process anything. I used to really enjoy learning, but now it just feels like another thing on my never-ending to-do list.
“Changes necessary while working were to give up time of your own that you’d have for things like hanging out, relaxing, or homework or events. Having a job demands time and responsibility. You can’t really call off a day at work to do something fun because you want to. Also, you realize time is money.” —Yeni de la Cruz
It’s not just the lack of sleep. It’s the pressure of keeping up with everything. Teachers expect assignments to be done on time. Jobs expect you to be on time. And somewhere in between, you’re supposed to have a social life, take care of yourself, and maybe even enjoy being a teenager. But when you’re working, school starts to feel like an obstacle instead of a priority. Studying for a test after an exhausting shift feels impossible. If your grades start slipping, it’s hard not to feel like you’re failing at everything.
“The most challenging thing is feeling a repetition in your daily routine. As a student, it was dreadful when the bell rang because you know you aren’t going home yet. For me, I had no other way of transportation other than walking, so my challenge was also getting there on time.” —Yeni de la Cruz
On top of everything else, the phone ban at school has made things even harder for student workers like me. My bosses can’t get a hold of me during school hours, so if they need me to come in, I don’t find out until the second I step off campus. That means I’m constantly rushing out of school, checking my phone with anxiety, and trying to rearrange my entire evening in a matter of minutes. It adds another layer of stress to an already overwhelming situation.
“I had to give up time for school work in order to work . I couldn’t at all do homework on the weekends, so if we had anything assigned for the weekend, I wouldn’t be able to complete it.” —Esmeralda Malagon
And yet, schools don’t seem to acknowledge the reality that so many of us face. Instead of allowing students who have completed their A-G requirements to leave early, they keep us stuck in filler classes, extracurriculars that don’t benefit us in the long run. That’s extra time that could be spent working, doing homework, or even resting, but instead, it’s wasted. If schools truly cared about student success, they would offer flexibility to those balancing work and education.
“The most challenging part of being a student worker is the amount of energy it takes away from you. Sometimes I would go to school on days I would only be able to sleep three hours due to work.” —Esmeralda Malagon
No one talks about the burnout. The truth is, most schools and jobs don’t care if we’re exhausted. They expect us to perform, produce, and repeat. The problem is, we’re not robots. We’re teenagers trying to survive.
“Please don’t overwork yourself. Working while being in school is so draining.” —Esmeralda Malagon
Working isn’t the problem, it’s the unrealistic expectations placed on students. Schools need to acknowledge that many students don’t have the privilege of just focusing on school. In many cases, students find jobs out of necessity. Whether it’s to help their family, pay for senior dues, or just afford basic needs, quitting is not an option. Employers need to be more understanding. As a society, we need to stop glorifying burnout and start supporting students who are doing everything they can to keep up.
Written By: Jules Chavez, Staff Writer