Andres Trevino ’17

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One of the most prestigious high schools all of Texas, Strake Jesuit demands a lot from its students through rigorous academics and extracurricular activities. To add to all that, some students at Strake Jesuit have jobs after school or on the weekends either for financial reasons or to gain work experience.

I have been working at Olive Garden since sophomore year, and I can attest that balancing school and work can be extremely difficult. When I started working at Olive Garden, I was also playing rugby for Strake Jesuit. This meant I would work only Saturdays and Sundays for about nine hours each day. This commitment created a lot of friction with the need to complete my school work. I would work all morning Saturday and then try to find time for some fun Saturday night. On Sunday I would have to get all my schoolwork done by two o’clock in the afternoon when I started my shift, which lasted until ten.

At first, my grades began to tumble because of my time restrictions on the weekend. Sometimes I wanted to quit. Eventually, I got better at time management and started building my grades back up. I knew that it was my responsibility to handle both school and work.

What truly drove me was the financial freedom I gained from my work. I could pitch in for family necessities while still having enough money to do and buy things I wanted. To this day I don’t have to ask my parents for money when I want to go do something, which gives me a real sense of independence.

Now I work during the week from four to eight thirty each night. The additional hours have allowed me to earn enough money to invest in the stock market and even to contribute to car payments.

I spoke to other Jesuit students who have jobs after school.

I asked Nick Pettit class of 2017 about his job at H.E.B. He told me that he works until about ten o’clock on some school nights, making him too exhausted to stay up and do homework or study. When he knows he must work late, Nick has to squeeze in study time somewhere in his busy schedule.

Nick also spoke about the coworkers he has befriended at his work. He told me about how humble they all are and how committed they are to their jobs. He even hangs out with some of his colleagues outside of work.

Finally, Nick told me about how making his own money had made him much more financially independent from his parents. Not having to ask for money gives him a sense of pride and of accomplishment.

Charles Butta, class of 2017, works as a busboy. Like Nick and me, Charles has found independence and stress in his job, but one interesting thing he mentioned was the wisdom gained from some of his older coworkers, from their stories of their triumphs and struggles. From his job, Charles told me he has learned so much about the world outside of Strake Jesuit. Jobs can teach us a lot about ourselves.

For those of us who are employed outside Strake Jesuit, the pressure we face from school and work has made us more responsible and has improved our time management. Working outside school has taught us valuable lessons. Even though it is difficult at times, I wouldn’t give up my after-school job for the world.