Student finding many ways to balance work, school

Between stacking shifts, pushing through sports practices and keeping up with deadlines, high school students are constantly finding new ways to make their busy weeks work. For teenagers balancing a job along with school and athletics, the day doesn’t end when the 3 p.m bell rings; it just moves to the next location. Balancing shifts with schoolwork requires careful planning, flexibility and making the most out of every spare minute.

For senior Aja Jusufovic, juggling a job with sports meets means keeping a close eye on her priorities throughout the week. Jusufovic usually clocks in from 4 p.m to 9:30 p.m on weekdays, with weekend shifts varying throughout the day. To keep her grades up along with sports, she strategically plans when to complete her assignments. 

“I split my time between what I really need to be focused on versus what doesn’t need as much attention,” Jusufovic said. “Between school and work.” 

“My boss works with my schedule, and for sports I can skip practice if I really have to work, but I won’t have to because my boss knows when I have meets and practice,” Jusufovic said. 

When shift conflicts do happen, Jusufovic takes quick action to cover her hours. 

“Ask somebody to take my shift,” Jusufovic said. “If they don’t, I will call in.” 

During long shifts, taking a breather halfway through is key to staying energized. 

“About 3-ish hours in, as my shifts are usually around 4.5 to 7 hours, and I’ve found taking a break earlier makes me feel better later,” Jusufovic said. 

Despite averaging about six hours of sleep on nights with work and homework, Jusufovic’s hardest day actually comes over the weekend. 

“Saturday, because I always close or have a meeting on Fridays so I’m super tired the next day, especially since I usually gte homework for the next week done on Saturdays so I can do whatever on Sunday,” Jusufovic said. “I work every weekend, and I’m usually the one closing since I’m training to become a shift lead at work at the moment.” 

While some students manage sports and jobs together, others have to make difficult choices when financial priorities change. Junior William Groen spent time coaching and training before having to shift his focus entirely to the workforce. 

“When I was boxing and participating in martial arts, I didn’t have a ‘job;’ rather I would help out every night after training for an hour or two,” Groen said. “Never enough time to be paid. When money became tight, I had to leave the gym behind and continue training alone. I didn’t have the time to coach boxing anymore, but I know it’s for the best because without that money I earned, I wouldn’t have been able to continue training at all, as well as many other things. Have to pay the bills before having fun. 

To keep up with his busy schedule, Grown keeps a strict divide between his academics and his job, often working right after school until 9 p.m or 10 p.m. 

“I manage my schooling and job by keeping them separate,” Groen said. “On days where I have work directly after school, I know that things need to be completed before work or I’m in for a long night. Depending on the importance of the assignment, I might wait until the next day or wake up early to finish it.” 

Because of his work hours, free time and sleep are hard to come by.

“My work schedule revolves completely around my school schedule, and my personal life revolves around both,” Groen said. “Most weeks I don’t have time to myself. On days where I am very busy, I get very little sleep, zero-four hours. There are nights where I have to work all night and all morning. When I do have an open day, I try to spend it with my girlfriend.” 

Even work breaks are kept strictly functional so he can stay connected with his family.

“Most days, I don’t get a break at work,” Groen said. “When I do, I’m scheduled during dinner time, so I eat as quickly as I can, so I can finish my food before it’s over. Other kids have time to eat before clocking in, or watch shows while they eat. On my break, if I finish eating before the time is up, I check in on my family and friends. Always helps to send a text making sure everyone is okay, and If I need to run over after my shift to help out.” 

For other working students, staying organized requires finding small windows throughout the evening to stay ahead on schoolwork. Senior Nyle Martinzer relies on clear planning to stay on top of her tasks. 

“To-do list,” Martinez said. 

Working night shifts gives Martinez a structured timeline for her evenings, leaving her with about two hours of time to herself each day while getting seven to eight hours of sleep. 

“I normally work nights, so when Cedar City was open I would clock in at 3:30 and clock out at 9:30 or 10:30 in the summer,” Martinez said. “October though, we were only open till 7, so out at 7:30.” 

Instead of waiting until late at night, Martine takes advantage of downtime during her shifts to get her schoolwork done. 

“During work,” Martinez said, adding that her breaks usually happen “between customers.” 

Even with flexible bosses who work around her schedule, starting the routine over again at the beginning of the week remains the toughest challenge. 

“Monday, I don’t wanna go to school,” Martinez said. 

And after a long night on the clock, her post-work routine is simple. 

“Shower,” Martinez said. 

Whether it means waking up early to finish an assignment, training for a shift lead role, or squeezing in homework between customers, working high schoolers prove every day that balancing everything takes discipline. While the schedules and sacrifices are different for everyone, the goal remains the same: earning a paycheck, keeping up with school, and making every hour count.