As summer has come and gone, many students who got jobs over the summer are now challenged with the struggle of balancing school and work. Between homework, less hours, and a busier schedule, it can be overwhelming for many. 

Junior Lacey Montanari, who works at Monti’s Market in New London, says working in the summer is a lot different than during the school year because she has to make sure all her homework is done and can’t work as many hours. 

During the school year, she only works 10-2 on Sundays, many fewer hours compared to during the summer. 

She says she balances homework and her job by “Doing all my homework the day it’s assigned and not leaving it for the weekend.” 

Staying close, at Whaling City Athletic Club in New London, Leigha Griswold teaches young kids how to box. 

Unrelated to the stress of school and work, Leigha says she has been late to work a few times, due to being stuck behind school busses, which is not an issue during the summer. 

She says she misses out on a lot of sleep, due to having to do her homework for hours late at night. 

She works Monday, Wednesday and Friday until 8pm, so she is forced to do her homework late at night. 

Griswold says, “I don’t know how I do it to be honest, I made sure I had a study hall this year, so I can get most of my work done during study hall.”

Time management is a big part of having a job during the school year, and one mess up in the schedule can throw the whole day off. 

Some things that help her are staying grounded and taking it day-by-day. 

Leigha’s twin sister, Taylor Griswold, says she tries to do some of her homework during her shifts at Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream when she has time. 

Junior Madison Vernotzy, who works at Coffee’s Country Market in Old Lyme, says her summer schedule is much more flexible, and she does not have to worry about whether she has time for homework or not. 

She tries to do her best to do her homework in class or after she gets home from work. 

This can come with added stress, trying to juggle school, work, and also having a social life. 

A tip she has for anyone trying to balance schoolwork and a job is to take advantage of any extra free time, in class or after school. 

Waterford High School graduate and college freshman at UConn Avery Point Jon Mitchell currently works at Target while attending school, and worked at Smoothie King throughout high school. 

He says he has much more downtime during college between classes to get things done, compared to high school when he had to do homework right after school or on the weekends.

Mitchell says in high school he was, “Not only stressing about homework or tests, but also stressing about how to figure out a balance between the two.” 

He also says how his work day is can affect how stressed he is about other things. 

Getting enough sleep is very important in managing stress, and he says he tends to be more motivated and in a better mood overall when he gets more sleep.