Teenagers today are faced with a lot of pressure to "keep up with the Joneses." They are buying and wearing more expensive clothes, jewelry, and other items. In some cases, high school students are buying vehicles that a lot of adults would not be able to afford. Not all parents are able to afford these luxuries for their children, so the teenagers pressure themselves into juggling a job and trying to compete their high school education. Maintaining good grades through high school is essential for getting into college, but once teenagers adjust to having extra money and being able to afford nicer things, they may but less effort into their schoolwork. High school students and jobs are a bad combination because students become too involved in material things they tend to focus more on their job than they do on their education.
The strongest impact on high school students and jobs is that these teenagers lose focus on a quality education. Getting a $200 paycheck every week or two is a lot of money for a high school student, but they need to understand that once they become adults, these minimum-wage jobs are not going to afford them the same lifestyle that they became accustomed to while they were living rent-free at home. They also need to understand that six years down the road, in order to stay competitive in the job market, they need a solid education and that a foundation for a quality education begins in high school.
In conclusion, being young and able to afford fine clothes and nice cars can be very appealing to high school students, but nothing takes the place of a high-quality high school education, which, in turn, can lead to a better education and ultimately even finer material things. Patience and leading a less-expensive lifestyle as a high school student will pay off over time.
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