Dear Gabby,
I am a seventeen-year-old female student, who currently takes college and high school classes at the same time. I am a 4.0 student and somewhat of a perfectionist. I have been stressed lately because I feel as if there is not enough time in the day to do everything that needs to get done. I recently quit my job in order to maintain good grades and now I wish I wouldn’t have. I realized that I need money at this moment in time for things such as my phone bill, prom, and to get back and forth to Sinclair. I want to go back to work, but I do not have the time or energy to take on everything. My morals are to put education first, but money is important as well. What should I do? Am I wrong for quitting my job and focusing mainly on school?
Sincerely,
The confused young lady
Dear The confused young lady,
That’s a tricky situation, luckily though, I’m assuming you still live at home. I think focusing on a job and being able to save up money, and pay bills of course is a good thing to learn at your age, but I also think education is just as important.
In my opinion, both are essential in order to have a successful life. Unfortunately, it becomes a matter of what’s best for you at the time, and also what will benefit you in the future. I think because of your age, I would take the opportunity and focus on education as much as possible.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it gets harder when you get older. Right now, I assume you have your parents as a “net” for you. I would focus on school and talk to your parents about your personal and academic goals. This might give them a better understanding of your choice, and they might be more willing to help you with bills. Saving money is always a plus for your future self, however, education is going to get you a better job, not to mention you’ll be finished much faster if you focus on college now while finishing high school—getting college credits while in high school is something you should be proud of.
My go-to is always make a pros and cons list. It might help you decide if having a job now is worth it or not. I don’t think it’s wrong that you quit your job, as long as you’re now putting your focus on education, especially since getting a 4.0 is important to you. Being a perfectionist isn’t a bad thing, so use it to your advantage to get ahead in life. Try not to let it control you, your high school years should be fun, not super stressful. Believe me, it gets harder once you’re out in “the real world”. I know it might seem stressful now, but the semester is almost over. Maybe consider just having a summer job, and then focus on school during the fall and spring semesters. Good luck!
Sincerely,
Gabby