Carolina Forest High School has finally gone back to school five days a week.  Having all students attending helps those who have had difficulty learning, while causing struggle for those working. Since the quarantine a year ago, businesses started scheduling high school students more due to the absence of in-person schooling.

Many of our students have been working full-time this past year.  Along with helping with just having some extra spending money, it also provided time for students to save more money and even help with some family bills.  It’s an understatement that it has definitely been a tough year.

Lauren Whitton, a junior, says, “The amount of hours my work  expect me to work with my school work mixed is stressing me out tremendously.”

Kadeeno Brown, a senior, shares,“ I honestly care more about work but being a student still comes first.”

As for myself, I was sometimes working over 45 hours a week during the hybrid schedule, and it has started causing me health issues with the constant point of me being on go. Juggling both has caused me to become a reliable customer to energy drinks and melatonin.  I now working an average of 15 hours a week and hoping it will give me a better balance to help me end my senior year.

Another senior, Emma Dunn, adds, “Now that we are back to five days, my coworkers and I went from working four to five days a week from 2 pm – 10:30 pm to few hours two to three days a week. Those who have early release can work 3 pm -10:30 pm but only about three times a week. So we went from 40 to under 20 hours a week.”

COVID-19 has caused so many complications for minors and adults alike ,Making some overwork while others under work. Stress has run rampant and many struggle to juggle both while successfully performing duties for each. It is a struggle to earn income and education, but it is worth it.

Keep your heads up students of CF; you got this!