Money. Making money, working. Not sitting at home watching time pass as I grow older and lose my ever-depleting childhood. Instead, I work; and not just a couple days a week. I work 5 days a week, sometimes I pick up extra hours on the weekends if I can. The feeling of being able to have a sustainable income at the age of 17 is something I pride myself on. Although it might not be the “Big Bucks” as some call it. It’s still something, and it’s something that I’ve been raised to know how to do. As I look at some highschoolers now who are 17, 18, some 19 and are still yet to ever have their first job. I wonder, “What would it be like to never have a job during school”? 

Ever since I graduated middle school, having, sustaining and working a job was the expectation. Although financially I didn’t need a job, nor was any of the money going to my parents. They thought it was necessary to get started at a young age to set myself up for success. As someone who growed up in a household where money was never an issue, I always wondered why they wanted me to get a job at the age of 14? Looking back at it now, as a 17 year old who's already been in the workforce for over 3 years now I’m becoming grateful that I was raised this way. I’ve never been one to complain at jobs, complain about co-workers, complain about pay. I’ve learned that, if you’re the youngest guy, the smallest guy, you’re going to end up with the short end of the stick. That was something that I learned very early while working. As a 14 year old in a place run by 60 year olds, I worked as hard as a mule to make sure I was known.

While being a novice while working, it came with its perks. Although wherever I went, there was no one younger than me. I was able to learn way more about how to work, how to just put my head down and get my stuff done as well. As a 14 year old, working in a grocery store, working 30+ hours a week during the summer, then working over the legal limit during the school year. I learned that every second working is worth it when the paycheck comes in every two weeks. Another thing I’ve become very appreciative of as a 17 year old, is I know how to deal with Boss’s that outright suck. While working at the grocery store, our department had a paradigm that everyone followed. Everyone got everything done. Helped out if needed, and everyone always was willing to take over if something went wrong. As new management came in, So did a new boss. And as someone who had been there for over 2 years, I felt that my job position was secure to say the least. Unfortunately, the new boss was not a fan of teenagers having greater responsibility. After 2+ years of flawless working, the paradigm shifted. New guidelines were put in place, new rules. Rules that would just really leave you puzzled as to why. As the job progressively got worse, I realized it was no longer the best place for me. The new job no longer was the right spot, forcing me to assimilate into a new environment. Something I didn't want to do.

As I worked that last job and dealt with a boss who would attempt to beguile me, I learned lots of lessons that would, in the end, help me a lot. Although at that time, it seemed as if I was wasting my time, in reality I was learning what the real world had to offer. Unfair bosses, long hours, rude co-workers,tough schedules, and most of all; hard work. I am glad that my parents decided to raise me this way. Although I may have lost time on fun thighs, I learned more about what’s really important- the real world.