I want...to work!

SunnyDaysDontLie · December 2010

I know a lot of you guys will tell me that it's better to enjoy being a kid before I have to get a job and take my place in the "real world". Honestly, I'm bored with it. I sit on my butt virtually all day. I hate going outside, there is nothing to do. I'm not on a swim team yet, though I will be hopefully within the week. I'm keeping up with my schoolwork. Thing is, my parents don't provide everything but the bare necessities that most parents provide. Love, a house, clothing, food, transportation and education. My parents will not provide me with a car. As soon as I turn 16, and I am eligible for a job, my parents will cancel my phone bill until I can pay for it myself. Gas money. Hell, I'd be surprised if they didn't charge me rent. [Kidding. They wouldn't... I hope.] I like to provide for myself. I hate being waited on hand and foot. Sure, on occasion it's nice to have your food brought out to you, but how do you know if the person didn't spit in whatever you ordered? Or, I hate causing my eighty four year old grandmother stress, but she *insists* on serving me all three meals in a day, AND an afternoon snack, and money. I hate it. Stop. Just, don't. Relax. Your feet are swollen. Your back hurts. Go sit down, and let me do the dishes. Let me serve everyone. Let me make my own money, I don't want to take your savings. Same thing with my parents. I take...Joy, I guess you could say, in providing myself with things. Instead of, "oh my parents bought this for me (:" I can say "Yeah, it took me forever to save up for that". I like to work, honestly. I hate school, but I'd clean my foods teachers entire room, organize her papers, and do eight loads of laundry if it meant keeping my hands busy. It's just enjoyable. And Harris Teeter, the grocery store, doesn't accept applications until you're sixteen. -headslams- There are two within bike riding distance from my house. I will accept the minimum wage dirty work and the latest shift if they would hire me. D; This leaves me with two options: Chick Fil' A or Coldstone Creamery. I was told to not work in fast food. Why? I have no clue. I'd apply if it meant I'd have a savings account and something to do other than procrastinate on my homework when I get home. Coldstone isn't hiring at the moment. Aerie hires at 16, and they're currently hiring. Auntie Anne's is hiring, but only if you're 16. It's not summer, so I can't lifeguard. Sigh. I understand they have these laws in place for a reason. I'm not upset. A little disappointed, yes, but I'm not upset or mad. It's the law. It's just frustrating to me that I'm willing to work, would be happy with minimum wage and a dirty job, and I can't apply, whereas my dad was working as a busboy at twelve. D; Weill. I guess I'm going to go now, I've got some shopping to do, as I am in terrible need for long sleeved shirts. [Seriously, I have like. Two. And they're too big on me, because they're the shirts you get at the races.]

Cybergirl · December 2010

I felt the same way before I was 16. But now with the new school year I dont have enough time to work because of the workload from school. I still love buying my own stuff. I love telling people what I bought, and people respect you for it, when youre so young. I also dont get a car unless I pay for it myself, or wait until my mom gets a new one. I dont think rent kicks in until I turn 18. I dont know about gas money because its not an issue at the moment. So try and enjoy the laziness now, because youre going to be working for the rest of your life once you start. Im sure youll be busy soon enough.

RoyalRaccoon · December 2010

I completely agree with you and feel the same way. I've wanted a job for years, but lacked transportation, or wasn't allowed to have one due to school. It's been extremely frustrating. If you want to work, then I say work! It's a good way to gain life experience, and sooner or later you'll actually have to get a job, so why not sooner? Just make sure you keep your priorities in order. Finishing school with good grades should come first, followed by other important things like your swimming.

a-sap · December 2010

Working in a grocery store is dirty work? xD And there are many legalities about working too. Most people your age cannot legally work certain hours. In my state it is after 9, and no more than 40 hours a week. Many stores will accept resumes before you are 16 if you tell them that you are looking for future employment. If you try hard enough and are willing to do real work, a job isn't usually impossible to find. It is winter, you can go around and shovel driveways, which pays fairly well. At pretty much any age you can do handy work or things like that and get paid cash right away.

Sea Oats · December 2010

There's not much to shovel here, even during winter, sap. ;p I totally get how you feel, too. I feel that way right now, and I -have- a job. I've been with Harris Teeter for almost a year now, and honestly I love my job. It's going to kill me to take educational leave when I go off to school in the fall. Right now, we have 7 college kids home from school working, and we 6 new hires, and our manager not only distribute hours evenly, but she also has to cut back on hours right now. SO. I've worked a total of 40 hours since THANKSGIVING, when I'm used to working 28-34 hours a WEEK. My bank account is suffering, and I've eaten through a lot of savings just to put gas in my car, and on Christmas gifts for everyone. And I'm also pretty sure HT doesn't have 'dirty work'. Unless you're referring to trash pick-up around the store, floor sweeps, or cleaning bathrooms, because we cashiers get the pleasure of taking care of that. But I totally get the desperately wanting a job thing. I didn't get my license when I turned sixteen because I didn't have a job to pay for insurance. The deal was, as soon as I found a job, I could get my license. So my license was an incentive to find a job, it gave me something to work for. I pay for my own insurance ($75 a month, which isn't bad), and my own gas (in my tiny car, about $20 a week, which also is wonderful, considering it's now $3 a freaking gallon). But I didn't find a job until I was almost seventeen. And just because a place is hiring, doesn't mean they'll hire you, not to sound condescending, but it took me almost a year and 53 applications to find a job, because people are hiring adults that have been laid off and people with experience before teenagers with no experience and who are expected to have little to no work ethic (awesome stereotype). The fast food thing, if you go fast food, go with Chick-Fil-A. They pay VERY well, and you know you'll always be off on Sundays. But people say don't go with fast food because they don't give good benefits usually, and quite frankly, every article of clothing you own will smell like said fast food. My best friend worked at Cookout for about 8 months, and I almost couldn't stand to even walk in her room sometimes because the smell radiated off her work clothes. I guess my point is.. I get it, and it's annoying, but honestly.. I'd rather not be working and being a full time student. I've started college classes at Queens, plus highschool. So I'm in class from 7:15AM-2:15PM Mon-Fri, and 4:30PM-9:30PM on Mon/Wed, and I have to leave directly from highschool to pick my friend up to be downtown on time. So on days that I have the night class, that's roughly a 16.5 hour day, from the time I wake up in the morning to the time I actually get home at night. Then I work pretty much every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. I enjoy the money, and I need it because I have my own bills to pay, but if your parents are willing to pay until you can get a job, I'd not stress over it, and enjoy the time I had before I have to start working.

wetnose101 · December 2010

i like working too.lolz! people like my parents say there is no happiness out of working...ok ill take over and you sit on ur butt all day playing with your fancy stuff or count ur savings! gosh golly! they yelled at me right now..for no thing and my annoying brother keeps on telling me what is shorter than minutes?? 5 hours later.. seconds! hey! i learned that in kinder! im bored

SunnyDaysDontLie · December 2010

Sushi: I can't get a job considering most places hire at 16. [Aerie at 16, Macadoo's at 16, Auntie Anne's at 16...] I, however, am several months away from sixteen. It sucks. Poor planning on my parent's part, but I'll be graduating when I'm seventeen, and eighteen right as I enter college. My grades are average. I suck at math, and it probably doesn't help my lack of studying [in any of my classes!], and my poor test scores in that godforsaken class they refer to as "geometry". -_- I've always been an algebra person, I find it easier than geometry, but I fear next semester's algebra class, on top of two honors courses. I'm not meeting my goals for this semester, but I have no clue how to study for a math class. What am I supposed to do, open up my [flawed] math text book? With all of its mistakes and other various issues? Or how about the pitiful notes my math teacher gives? We seriously have a page of notes per chapter, and it mostly consists of examples. A-Sap: We got around four inches, but it didn't get too thick on the driveway. Most people here are from New York, it seems, or at least in my area, so they know how to shovel their own snow xD I'd offer to clear sidewalks or something, but the HA hates it when you interfere with their work. I'd mow lawns, but I don't exactly think it's good to mow your lawn in the middle of December. I heard it kills your grass. Sea Oats: Exactly. However, I don't know how your insurance is $75/month. Who are you with? o_O I know my parents will pay insurance, but they won't pay gas or buy me a car. [And I want my VW Golf so badly... ;-; I'm kinda hoping it'll be like my phone, where they said I wouldn't get one, and they got me one anyways. xD] I'll probably be linking up with a friend of mine on phone bills, as she has AT&T and despises it with every fiber of her being. I understand the whole stereotype thing, and I remember that you had your social security number memorized by the time you were through. I don't care about the fast food smell. My friend Becca worked at Donato's Pizza, and her entire room smelled like pizza until she switched to Domino's, then it smelled like bad pizza. I can live with that, as long as I keep up with my laundry. I have relatively expensive taste, I guess you could say. I don't like Walmart clothing, or Target. I never really find anything cute there. I shop clearance at American Eagle, and, occasionally, Hollister. AE has clothing that fits me nicely, and it's soft. Wetnose: That's a lie. If you don't take pleasure in your job, then you didn't go into something you enjoy. My mother works 144 hours a month, three nights in a row per week. She's not a night owl like I am, so she suffers, but she still loves it and wouldn't have it any other way. My father, on the other hand, wanted to be an occupational therapist when he got out of the Army. With my mother pregnant with me, though, he went for the quickest thing possible, and is now stuck in a 8 by 8 cubicle as an IT. He hates his job. Comes home every day complaining about his boss and his coworkers. I like to work, surprisingly. I'd rather drop out and work at McDonalds next year than be in school for another 14 years after I get out of high school, honestly, but, unfortunately, my GED wont make me a surgeon.

Sea Oats · December 2010

SunnyDaysDontLie wrote:

Sea Oats: Exactly. However, I don't know how your insurance is $75/month. Who are you with? o_O I know my parents will pay insurance, but they won't pay gas or buy me a car. [And I want my VW Golf so badly... ;-; I'm kinda hoping it'll be like my phone, where they said I wouldn't get one, and they got me one anyways. xD] I'll probably be linking up with a friend of mine on phone bills, as she has AT&T and despises it with every fiber of her being. I understand the whole stereotype thing, and I remember that you had your social security number memorized by the time you were through.

We have Farm Bureau, but thing is, my mom found a loophole. We figured out that if you have more drivers than cars on your policy, insurance is cheaper for a new driver. My mom is on a policy with my grandparents, who own and have 3 cars on their policy, plus my mom and her car. So that was 3 people and 4 cars. So when they added me and my car, that went up to 4 drivers and 5 cars, and my name is on the oldest car on the policy. I don't know if it is the same for all insurance companies, but with ours, the more drivers and less cars, the better. With FB, when I first got my license, my insurance was $450 every six months (we don't pay monthly), so that averages out to about $75 a month. Then since I'd had my license for a year, when I paid insurance in August, it had dropped to $350, so we actually got money back. And hopefully, in February when I pay again, it will go down because I will be eighteen. Plus I have a perfect driving record, no tickets or accidents, so that also helps with the price. My mom isn't the one driving my car, and I had to earn the right to drive it, so I don't expect her to pay or help with insurance, though I know she would help me with the money if I needed it. My mom bought me a car for Christmas last year for $1k ($2500 under bluebook value), which was very nice and unexpected. But it was four door family sedan, and it got awful gas mileage. So I sold it for $3500 in June and bought my '95 Civic for $2600, and gave my mom the remaining $900. So I guess you could say I pretty much bought my own car. And yes. I did. My SS number is seared into my brain, and it turned out to be a good thing, because we have to clock in with our SS number at work. xD

Doggirl1995 · December 2010

Ooh, I understand this too. Pretty sure we're the same age. I think you're a few months older. I've always liked to earn money. I've had a lot of help since I was 12. A family friend of ours let me work for her banquet company for minimum wage, weekend evenings only. It was fabulous work experience, and I loved it. The only thing was I felt a little out of place due to all the other girls being at least 2 or 3 years older, but it was a good deal for the wedding season. And it's a fun job too! I would go back to it in a heart beat I could get there by myself. (It's at a golf course about 20 minutes driving out of the city) I did this for 2 summers. When I was 14, my Aunt was an Assistant Store Manager at Mark's Work Warehouse. Her boss asked her if she could get a couple teenagers to help with a big sale night, just to help maintain damage control of the clothing displays. So she asked me to come, and to bring a couple of my friends as well. And from there she was able to get my hired as a seasonal employee, where I was getting about a dollar over minimum wage for 3 months. I never really got any formal training, but it was great retail experience to add to my resume. And now, this past summer I decided I wanted a job. I'm going to horse clinics, I want to show in the spring and summer, I want to go on the trail trip, my bank account was running low because I was buying the majority of my clothes, had to pay for outings with friends and such.. so I applied -everywhere-. I don't know if it's a law in your state, or if it's just the typical average for most stores, but not many retail places will hire at 16. So I did decide to apply for fast food jobs, because it was close to my house. Now I've been working at Wendy's for 6 months, and they treat me great. Booking days off is no problem, and they always give me exactly the amount of hours that I ask for. I do plan on going into either waitressing or retail next year.. I'll start applying in the spring and hope I get something by summer. So I'd say if you can, go into fast food if that's the most likely place you are to get hired. Lots of places will take on kids without experience to give them a leg up into the work industry. My clothes DON'T stink of Wendy's, and neither does my room. So I've never come across that problem. I suppose it's just about how you handle your uniform and such. Getting a job can be hard though.. so my only recommendation is volunteering /as much/ as possible. It gives you a great advantage if you have no work experience yet! And also.. don't worry about giving up being a kid too soon yet. It really sucks when you have to turn down a fun night out with your friends, but because of the extra money you're able to go out THAT much more often because you can afford it. Don't get sucked into working too many hours, because you don't need to. I balance AP classes, riding, dancing, work.. it's not that difficult. In my opinion, working has even made me a better student because it's taught me more responsibilities.

SunnyDaysDontLie · January 2011

I just applied for a position at Donato's Pizza. Horse: Recently, I've found out that my friend Becca is selling an iPod Touch for $50. It's only a year old, no major scratches, excellent working condition. My previous iPods got stolen, and I am currently using a borrowed iPod Shuffle. I only have $20. I had around sixty, but I used some of it for lunch, and some more of it to buy my mother a sweater at American Eagle that I thought she'd love [she did!]. I really want this iTouch, but her father refuses to let me buy it for $20. So, I'm having my friend [who is currently pulling in $100 a month, not including he'll soon be living off of government pension for joining the Air Force] to pay the thirty. He doesn't care, as, like I said, he's making decent money. My parents don't give me or my brother an allowance as we don't do anything [kidding], but I'm dying to make a savings account so I can start saving for a car, and so that I don't have to carry around cash all the time. My parents have no family in NC, so I don't have the opportunities that you had. If we lived in Ohio, I'd have several job opportunities, as stated. My birthday is also in August, so any place that hires at sixteen cannot hire me until August. Donato's isn't hiring, and I can't get to Chick-Fil-A because of the snow and ice on the ground. This is really getting frustrating. I'm curious as to whether or not the school is looking for an extra janitor for minimum wage.

Bookryder1 · January 2011

definitely check with your school, i go to a freakishly expensive(not bragging, but tuition is through the roof). since it is so expensive my school allows us to work 1 hour a day ( before or after school) for 5 dollars, it was mostly mediocre... dusting sweeping, things I do at home taking care of my disabled mother. As an incentive I got 2.50 of the five from them, it wasn't much but It was money, something I really wanted/needed since lunch costs $70 dollars a month!!! Definitely check with your school, there are always odd jobs!

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I want...to work!

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