Every summer I’m so excited to spend eight or so weeks relaxing, traveling and hanging out with my friends — but this summer was different.

My parents told me I needed to have a summer job. I didn’t want to spend my off-time working, but as I began to work, I noticed multiple benefits and now plan to continue working during the school year.

I applied for jobs before the school year finished and ended up having two different ones. My summer got busier as I picked up more hours, but I managed to find time to relax and be with friends.

While waking up early to work was not a summer highlight I got into a routine. I was able to keep myself busy and be more productive.

Though I had a busy summer with two jobs, trips and summer assignments, I learned so many valuable skills. I gained a new sense of responsibility, started to make money that I can save to pay for college and got a glimpse of adulthood.

It’s important to apply for jobs you have real interest in and that seem fun to you. Having to work somewhere you do not feel comfortable or happy at can lead to a loss in motivation to work.

Teens can be extremely busy during the year with schoolwork, extracurriculars and other activities. All these things added up can make students feel easily overwhelmed and then avoid taking on a job.

However, the benefits of being employed, even if schedules only allow working once or twice a week, are impactful to a teen’s confidence and independence.

Students should consider having a job because of the life skills they teach, including responsibility and finding a sense of purpose. Time management, people skills and money management are all additionl benefits having a job comes with.

While my summer wasn’t as relaxing as I originally hoped it would be, I still found a way to work and make money while also having fun moments with my friends and family.