Students who work do double duty to balance their real-world responsibilities with school. Photo illustration generated by Google Gemini.

When the final bell rings at Omaha South, some students head home while others head straight to work. Whether it’s running a small business or working at a local coffee shop, many students are learning how to balance jobs with school and everyday life.

Junior Jocelyn Mas-Rodriguez is one of them. She works as a home-based nail tech, a business she started in early 2023. “I started by doing my own nails and practicing on family and friends,” she said. “I was learning and practicing constantly.”

When asked what she enjoys most about her job, Mas-Rodriguez said, “meeting new people and doing new designs. It’s fun and creative.” But the job comes with challenges. “Definitely having after school appointments and schoolwork, trying to get things done on time while also working and accommodating everyone” are some of those challenges, she said.

Her job also affects her social life and free time. “My job takes up most of my time, and I do my best to balance it and achieve my plans,” she explained. “Taking weekends off affects time for clients and money flowing in.”

Senior Kylee Thompson has a different experience. She works at Scooter’s Coffee and said the environment and coworkers make it worth it. “I enjoy the people that I see at work, and the work I do is easy,” Thompson said.

Balancing school with her job is something she’s still learning to manage, however. “The most challenging part is balancing the schedule I work and being able to get schoolwork done on time,” she said.

Thompson’s job also affects how she spends her time outside of school. “It restricts the amount of free time I have or the time I have to go out,” she said. “But my schedule is flexible so I can still do everything I want.” She got the job after leaving the previous one and said the process was simple. “Just an interview,” she added.

Even though their jobs are different, both Mas-Rodriguez and Thompson show what it means to take on real responsibilities as high school students. Whether it’s time management, dealing with clients or learning how to stay on top of school, these students are gaining valuable experience that goes way beyond the classroom.