A typical conversation that occurs between many high school students is whether holding a job in high school is a good idea.

My thoughts on the issue are that holding a job in high school is a good idea because having one can teach you so many different skills that are necessary for being successful in life.

Having a job can teach you how to have an interview with someone, talk to other individuals, manage time, and develop valuable skills as simple as talking on the phone.

However, instead of writing all my thoughts on the issue and making this a one-sided argument, I decided to interview two high school students to see what their opinions would be on the topic.

The interview took place between Notre Dame seniors Claire Edgar and Grace Cooper who had opposing views on the subject.

“I currently do not have a job, but I think it’s beneficial for those who are okay with student debt. However, I feel you can earn more money in the long run by using that time to study and get good scores on tests to potentially receive tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships,” said Edgar.

“I’ve had a job since my sophomore year, and I think having a job gives you a lot of real world experience that you wouldn’t have without having a job. I started feeling like more of an adult when I got a job, and it taught me things about how to manage my own money and what the real world is like,” said Cooper.

“Well, both of my sisters didn’t work, and they each got “250,000 in scholarships, so I really think it’s worth it if you use the time to study,” stated Edgar.

“However, some people don’t have the choice of whether or not to work. In public schools, about 99% of the kids have jobs to pay for different stuff they couldn’t buy without a job. Overall, I really think it’s very beneficial, but it is also hard to manage school and work,” said Cooper.

“It definitely is easier to balance the school workload without trying to balance a job,” added  Edgar.

Overall, the common consensus from both sides of the argument is no matter if you have a job or don’t have a job, use your time to do something beneficial for your future.