Junior Reese Clarkin cannot wait for her senior year to see where it brings her as a worker and student. As for now, she participates in school activities such as the FHC Community Club and multiple advanced classes with some of her favorite teachers and friends. However, through everything she is a part of at high school, there is one thing outside of school that Reese will always hold precious memories of, and she is more than thankful for the opportunities she has experienced here.
While everyone else was spending their summer vacations tanning on the hot sand of Lake Michigan beaches, junior Reese Clarkin had the best summer which she spent in different ways. She created unforgettable memories with her friends at her usual after-school job, which is now a larger picture in her life.
“Working at my job has had some larger impact on my life as a student, especially by how much time I spent there this summer,” Reese said. “I basically dedicated all of my time to working there, and I became super familiar with how it was to work outside of school. I have noticed so many improvements since then.”
Working an after-school job has ultimately changed Reese’s outlook on her future and how she manages her time as a student. For about a year, she has utilized her over-the-top working skills at the job to better manage her time between school and other activities while still succeeding in her classes. Not only has going out and dedicating her free time outside of school to working at a local retirement community changed her as a student, but she has also created countless memories with her coworkers and boss.
“I think it’s so important that I was able to have that opportunity to go to work during the summer and still have fun in that work environment,” Reese said. “I got super close with all of my coworkers and especially the elders since they were all around me every day.”
Although spending countless hours at the beach during summer vacation was an unbreakable memory, Reese continues to recall her memories at the retirement home with her amazing coworkers. When Reese first applied for her first-ever job, she was going into the interview not knowing anyone at this work facility. However, within the first week, she recalls creating numerous friendships with people both from her school and outside of school, along with some older college students that she had never worked with before.
“I think my favorite memory I have made at work was during the summer when I got to spend more time at work,” Reese said. “Being around some of the other people I went to school with and also meeting new people and connecting with them, and even becoming very close to some of them, was honestly one of my favorite parts of the summer. I wouldn’t change anything.”
Most high schoolers don’t begin working their first job until at least their senior year of high school. As only a junior and already having a time-consuming after-school job, Reese has a lot on her hands. Along with her advanced classes and the clubs she participates in, she has always been able to juggle it all while still prioritizing time with her friends and family.
Reese has always been the outgoing and friendly person she is, and because of this, it was relatively easy for her to build super-strong connections with her coworkers and manager. Because of these strong connections, she never hesitated to ask for help when she needed it or a day off to take time to focus at school. These bonds are the most important, as they may be more valuable.
“For me, managing work was never difficult,” Reese said. “I had a good connection with my old boss and we kept good communication, and when changes and adjustments needed to be made, we always worked things out. I was also never overwhelmed by working during the weekdays and balancing homework and after-school activities because I limited myself to working one or two times a school week and once on the weekend so there was always time for me to do both without it stressing me out.”
As the end of the school year rolls around and the junior class begins to pick out classes for her final year at FHC, Reese cannot wait to do the same. Not only for her classes, though, but she is ecstatic to take her time deciding where she wants to go to college and what career path she wants to go down.
While many rising seniors choose between AP classes and more relaxed extracurriculars, Reese has a different plan: she’s opting to take several advanced courses while participating in a dual-enrollment program at a college in Michigan.
“I am very excited for senior year. It felt very rushed to already be going into my final year in high school, but I am excited for all of the classes I will be signing up for, a few of the classes I’m taking next year are AP Literature, AP Biology, Personal Finance, and AP Government,” Reese said. “I have chosen more difficult classes than I would have liked, but I’m looking ahead to challenging myself and setting myself up for success in the future because I wanted to plan for what I want to major in for college.”
From having her first high school job to finally deciding what she would like to do in college and for the rest of her life, Reese cannot wait to explore the real world and open up to new opportunities for herself.
College is scary, but with the work experience and new opportunities Reese has learned to take, she is ready to face anything.
“I’m super excited to spend one final year with my peers one last time before we all go our separate ways,” Reese said. “Although it is anticipated to be scary, I can’t wait to go out and try new things. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, because, in the end, it was all worth it.”
