What's it Like Having a Job? Edition 1: Jenna Forestiero

My name is Delia Ferrigno and I have a job. It’s decent, but sometimes I think I’m crazy for having one. I want to find out who else has jobs and if I’m the only one having a hard time.

In this interview series, I will find people from my school who have all different kinds of jobs and what they think about life while working.

This week I’m interviewing a 15 year-old sophomore from Harborfields High School named Jenna Forestiero. Jenna has had a job for only 2 weeks and feels a little overwhelmed.

This week we are going to do an interview with Jenna Forestiero, who works at Value Drugs.

How long have you been there?

2 weeks.

What do you think about it?

I think it’s okay; it’s just nice, you know, getting paid.

What do you think about the time that you’re working?

I think 5 hours is a lot on a week day, especially 4:00-9:00, because when you come home at 9:00 then you have to start homework and you’re up to like 1:00 only to get up at 6:00, which is not ideal.

So, do you think that having a job has affected your academics in a way that you wouldn’t recommend other people to have a job, or that it’s a really big deal?

I think people who are good, like, time management people or people who are not procrastinators like myself. So that’s maybe why my grades aren’t that good right now. (laughs)

Well, do you think that the job has affected that? Or do you think it’s the physical, the time that you’re there, or just the stress and like the overwhelmingness?

I think it’s just the stress. That like I come home and like “Oh my gosh I have three hours of homework to do;” like, that’s the stress.

Why did you get your job?

Why did I get my job?

Yea, like why did you want a job?

I don’t know; I saw that you got a job and I was like “Oh, I guess that sophomore year is the year that people get a job.” So I just like, applied for a job because I saw that you got a job, and I was like “Oh boy, what did I get myself  into?” (laughs)

Yea, well were you expecting to get it? Or were you just like, “whatever”?

Well, they had said that they filled in all the spots, but then [the manager] called me the next day and was like, “Come in tomorrow.” So, I said okay, but I wasn’t really expecting it at all.

You got your job, so how did you feel when you first got the job?

I was really excited.

So you were happy?

Yea, I was really happy.

So as you first started, did you keep up that excitement?

No. (laughs)

Do you remember the first thing maybe that, like, kind of derailed that excitement?

Well it was kinda difficult.

I think it is also that it’s kinda difficult to learn a new thing when you’re this age because, like, I kinda feel like you’ve learned everything like this before and it’s just, it’s new, and you have to meet new people.

And there’s always these ladies who judge me behind the counter. I’m just like, “Calm down I’ve been here not even three weeks” (laughs).

So you’ve only been there for two weeks, but what’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you?

The craziest thing that happened to me was probably… I said that both things were on sale that she was using the coupon for and I said, “You can’t use the coupon,” and she was like, “I don’t want it,” and she threw the pants at me and she walked out.

Yea so customers can be… that’s another thing is that--

Some of them are so rude!

They are; they can be. Customers can add on another stress because it’s like, you have the stress of doing the job, and then doing what your boss wants and then also making the customers happy. It’s kind of a whole other part of the job--just making the customers happy.

So would you recommend this job to other people? Or just getting a job in general?

I would recommend people to get a job. It’s a good source of money .

Do you think it’s going to help you in the future with like, socializing with other people?

Yea, yea, yea. I’m not going to be a cashier when I’m older, but, (laughs) you know.

What do you think you’re going to do with the money? Are you going to save it or spend it right away?

Ummmmm… I mean I had a job during the summer and I put all of the money I made in the bank so...I’m going to put it all in the bank!

That’s good!

But that was like five-hundred dollars, because you get paid like every two weeks plus tips and stuff, so I did put it in the bank. But it depends on how much this is. I might put it in the bank.

Do you think you’re going to keep the job? How long do you think you’re going to stay?

Yea, I’ll see. I think I’ll keep it for a while. I don’t know. It’ll be difficult during softball season because we have like, practice and stuff.

Balance is really important too with this kind of stuff.

It’ll be difficult but I’ll try to figure it out.

I hope that this interview can give an inside look on having a job in high school. If you’re struggling to get a job or deciding if you want one, take it slow. Make sure to look out for more interviews coming your way. Good luck!