I want it all: the car, the new iPod touch, and the ability to be able to go out to eat with friends.  Unfortunately, money doesn’t grow on trees and, sadly, my parents probably don’t feel like giving me all their money.  Pity.  I want money, money, and more money so I did what 5 million other American teenagers do. I got a job.

            The typical teen gets a job at a fast-food place, a grocery store, and salesclerk jobs.  For $7 an hour I have an opportunity to bust my hump and learn some responsibility.  I don the ugly polo, black pants and a nametag so customers know what name to yell for when they want something.  No matter how superfluous their request I do my best to meet their request. The first thing I learned after getting a job: the customer is always right, or what actually is the truth: the customer is usually wrong, but I smile and keep my comment inside.

            Getting a job is supposed to teach me discipline, respect, and responsibility.  In reality I’ve learned so much more like that yes I can work on an empty stomach, yes I can get up and go to school after working late and yes I can keep on smiling after five people yelled at me.   

            Learning time management is also a skill I’ve picked up while working my wonderful minimum wage job.  I go to school for 8 hours then scurry off to work for another 4.  I then dash home to eat and do as much homework as humanly possible.  Of course, I have to log onto facebook and make sure I’m up to date on everything.  By the time I finally drop around 10PM I so tired I have to wonder why I’m doing this to myself. 

            But it never fails; every Friday when I get that beautiful paycheck it makes it all worth it.  Having my own money is such a magnificent thing.  I haven’t had to ask my parents for money in almost a year.  I’m pretty much able to do whatever I want like, go out to eat with friends, go to the movies, stop off at Cold Creek Coffee and get that dark chocolate mocha I love so much.

            Even with the extra stress and dealing with being extremely tired, joining the workforce was probably one of the better decisions I made this past year.  I way more appreciative of the dollar and have become painfully aware of the cost of living. 

But one thing I didn’t expect to happen when I became an employee is the look of respect adults give me when they learn I have a job.  Just by making the step into the workforce I have now become more adult and that is not something you can buy.