By Annie Goodykoontz

   Getting a job during the school year can be a great opportunity to gain work experience and earn some money. But the application process, schedule and commitment can be intimidating for students who already feel swamped with school work. 

   However, it is possible: many Tempe Prep students have a job while keeping up with their academics and extracurriculars. Senior Deizha Saenz has worked at Dutch Bros., a popular drive-through coffee chain, as a “broista” (their term for barista) for about two years. “I had been going to Dutch (Bros.) for years and decided to apply when I turned (16),” she says.

   Deizha explains how the experience can be overwhelming in the beginning. “A job definitely affects your school routine a lot more than I thought it would at first,” she says, “But there are also so many benefits.” Deizha says that adding a job to your schedule provides insight on time management and how much work you can personally handle. “A job can teach you how to be responsible, hardworking and a scholar,” she said, “which are all traits that Tempe Prep has taught us to value.”

Junior Estevan Roig also has a job as a bagger at Fry’s Food and Drug grocery store. “I decided to get a job in high school so that I can start to depend on myself for buying items,” he said. 

Estevan, who applied for the job after researching it online, shares the lessons he learned from working at his job after nine months. “At Fry’s I have learned about how to talk to customers who are rude and impatient, (and) I have learned how to deal with situations and de-escalate them,” he says. 

Both Estevan and Deizha share their advice for students who are looking for jobs. Estevan says, “I think students who are looking for a job should see what kind of responsibilities the job comes with and see how the environment of the workplace is.” Deizha’s advice is to choose your job wisely. “Pick a job you will actually enjoy,” she says, “The stress, worry, and time it takes to balance a job is not worth it if you do not take pleasure in what you are doing.”