Summer Workin’1
“The proportion of teens aged 16 to 19 years who are employed in the
summer has been on a downward trend since 2000 (Morisi).”2 The
reason for this decline in teens’ summer employment is largely due to
education. That’s understandable, but there are so many other reasons
for teens to work during the summer. One reason could be that it looks
good on a college application. Colleges look for the most well rounded
student, i.e. students that work, do community service, and participate
in extracurricular activities. Working during the summer also gives
teens something better to do than drink and do drugs. Another reason would obviously be the
money. During the summer, you have all kinds of time, so that means you could be earning all
kinds of money! Working during the summer also gives teens something better to do than
drink and do drugs.
Colleges look for the most wellrounded students, so what makes a student more
wellrounded than having a summer job? Most colleges look at how involved you are,
meaning they look at whether you play sports, whether you’re involved in any clubs, and
whether you have a job. Having a summer job can look great on a college application
because it shows that you didn’t sit around like a bump on a log all summer. It shows that you
invested your time into something other than stereotypical teenage activities like drinking and
doing drugs. Balancing these things while keeping your grades up, shows colleges that you’re
ready for the rigor of college life and ultimately the rigor of a successful life.
3
Working during the summer beats being bored for those two and a
half months of no teachers and no homework. Last summer, all I
did was read until I got sick of it, play XBox until I got sick of it, and
go swimming until I got sick of it and got a job. None of those
things really benefited me in a lasting way like working did. Before
I started working, I was horribly shy, and never said anything to
1
Small Shop Owner Posing Confidently Stock Photo
. Digital image.ww.freedigitalphotos.net
W
. N.p., 28 Mar. 2013. Web. 17
Feb. 2015. .
2
orisi, Teresa L. "The Early 2000s: A Period of Declining Teen Summer Employment Rates." onthly Labor Review: The
M
M
Early 2000s: A Period of Declining Teen Summer Employment Rates
(2010): n. pag.
U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics
. Monthly
Labor Review, May 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2015. Google Scholar
3
Teenage Girl With Laptop On White Stock Photo
. Digital image.ww.freedigitalphotos.net
W
. N.p., 09 Aug. 2012. Web. 17 Feb.
2015. .