Do I Have to Quit My Summer Job? My Experience

At the beginning of summer, it seems like there’s so much time. You can relax, work, volunteer, and do anything else your heart desires. And of course, that journey comes to an end. The late nights spent partying are replaced by late nights spent studying, for most students. However, you don’t have to spend 180 days studying. You can do the same activities during the school year that you did during the summer. We might have to go back to school, but we don’t have to dump the activities we enjoy— including making money.

Before you decide to quit, test the waters. If you can’t handle back to school and your summer job at the same time, talk to a human resources team member. Most likely, they’ll help you decide on a plan of action that will range from decreasing your availability to taking a temporary break. If you burnout, you’re not going to perform your best at school or your job. You will definitely have challenging days, but you should have more happy days than sad ones.

The day before school started last year was also a day that I worked. Until 9 pm. I had worked several nights before, but I had my summer assignments to finish. At 11 pm, I finally finished my AP Lang assignment, but I couldn’t go to sleep yet since my AP Bio assignment wasn’t going to complete itself.  Luckily, I got A’s on my assignments, but I learned one very important thing: don’t wait until the last minute. Especially when you have a job, you can’t afford to wait because time is never on your side.

I’d highly recommend checking out the Pomodoro technique and seeing if it works for you. Also, if you’re struggling with summer assignments, remember to do them one cliche at a time.

Especially during the weekends, I always had a ton of homework and a busy schedule. I would work on Saturday, then wake up on Sunday to volunteer and work. While I hate homework with a passion, I had to carry it around with me. On my breaks at work, I would whip out my homework and do as much as I could in the little bit of time that I had. Even though I wanted to scroll through Snapchat or Instagram, I had to focus on my homework. It can be challenging to focus in the moment, so focus on your long-term goals. Use the time you would've spent surfing the Internet to do stuff that will have a positive impact on your life.

If you haven’t been successful with testing the waters, working on your time management skills, or sacrificing your free time— then quit. Extra money is nice to have, but don’t do something that hurts your grades or your wellbeing. If you’ve recently been introduced to rigorous courses, you should spend some time working on succeeding in those first. Gradually increase your responsibilities; don’t juggle multiple new things at one time. I took three AP courses, volunteered, worked, and held leadership positions last year that were all extremely challenging. Most of my lunches at school were spent studying, but not everyone has the willpower or desire to do that.

In the end, do what you have to do. I'm going to remain with my employer until I leave for college, but again. do what you have to do. You only have one life to live, so live it well.