Income prioritized above family time
What typically comes to mind when one thinks of the holidays is going home, spending time with family and friends, and taking a break from school and work.
However, for many, it simply means another day at work, and making a little more money than usual.
According to USA Today, a quarter of Americans were working on Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2014.
There is an assumption that because students get time off school for the holidays, everyone else gets a day or two off as well.
Unfortunately, America can’t stop running for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas Eve, or a New Year’s party.
While locally owned businesses are likely to be closed during any given holiday, chain companies tend to remain open, meaning that some employees feel pressure to be able to work on those days.
Lorenzo’s, a family owned sandwich shop across from the Carlmont shopping center, has the luxury of being able to choose their own hours. They are typically closed for a full day or more during holidays.
However, a chain store that is managed by a company does not get a say in the hours they are open, or days they are closed.
Jen Dirstine, a senior, is currently working at Jamba Juice at the Carlmont Shopping Center.
“My boss told me he wanted me to work on Thanksgiving because so many people were requesting it off, so I had to fill out a request just to guarantee I wouldn’t have to,” said Dirstine.
Some Carlmont students, such as junior Michelle Tenin, are working extra shifts right before holidays to make up for the day or two they will miss to spend time with family.
“I’m picking up some extra shifts at [Trader Joe’s] to cover for the fact that I’m not working on Thanksgiving. Also I feel bad because I know that the store is going to be completely packed the day before and they need all the help they can get,” said Tenin.
Stores are often extremely busy in the days leading up to the holidays. This means that for many working high school students, the holidays bring a dilemma of balancing work with celebration.
Some young college students go to school out of state and can’t afford or don’t want to go home for the holidays. For people like this, working on holidays is a great way to make a little extra money.
Willmar Juarez is a college student at CSM and Cañada College, as well as a barista at the Starbucks in Redwood City.
“My family doesn’t celebrate [Christmas] as much as we used to. I grew up in Guatemala, so the whole family would get together. Over here I don’t have that family. It’s just like another day in my house, so I would rather spend it working and getting money than being in my house reminiscing about how we used to celebrate it,” said Juarez.
Young adults and teens often struggle to balance work with family time during holiday seasons.
Many stores are flooded during the holidays, and it's easy for people to forget that these stores require workers during this time.
“During holiday season, a lot of people are rushed. People will come up to us and be very impatient sometimes. It’s not that they’re disrespectful, but customers aren’t always aware of their tone and how they present themselves to us,” said Tenin.
Although holidays are a time for happiness, family, and celebration, it brings stress to many young workers as they try to balance holiday cheer with their scheduled hours.
However, for many, it simply means another day at work, and making a little more money than usual.
According to USA Today, a quarter of Americans were working on Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2014.
There is an assumption that because students get time off school for the holidays, everyone else gets a day or two off as well.
Unfortunately, America can’t stop running for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas Eve, or a New Year’s party.
While locally owned businesses are likely to be closed during any given holiday, chain companies tend to remain open, meaning that some employees feel pressure to be able to work on those days.
Lorenzo’s, a family owned sandwich shop across from the Carlmont shopping center, has the luxury of being able to choose their own hours. They are typically closed for a full day or more during holidays.
However, a chain store that is managed by a company does not get a say in the hours they are open, or days they are closed.
Jen Dirstine, a senior, is currently working at Jamba Juice at the Carlmont Shopping Center.
“My boss told me he wanted me to work on Thanksgiving because so many people were requesting it off, so I had to fill out a request just to guarantee I wouldn’t have to,” said Dirstine.
Some Carlmont students, such as junior Michelle Tenin, are working extra shifts right before holidays to make up for the day or two they will miss to spend time with family.
“I’m picking up some extra shifts at [Trader Joe’s] to cover for the fact that I’m not working on Thanksgiving. Also I feel bad because I know that the store is going to be completely packed the day before and they need all the help they can get,” said Tenin.
Stores are often extremely busy in the days leading up to the holidays. This means that for many working high school students, the holidays bring a dilemma of balancing work with celebration.
Some young college students go to school out of state and can’t afford or don’t want to go home for the holidays. For people like this, working on holidays is a great way to make a little extra money.
Willmar Juarez is a college student at CSM and Cañada College, as well as a barista at the Starbucks in Redwood City.
“My family doesn’t celebrate [Christmas] as much as we used to. I grew up in Guatemala, so the whole family would get together. Over here I don’t have that family. It’s just like another day in my house, so I would rather spend it working and getting money than being in my house reminiscing about how we used to celebrate it,” said Juarez.
Young adults and teens often struggle to balance work with family time during holiday seasons.
Many stores are flooded during the holidays, and it's easy for people to forget that these stores require workers during this time.
“During holiday season, a lot of people are rushed. People will come up to us and be very impatient sometimes. It’s not that they’re disrespectful, but customers aren’t always aware of their tone and how they present themselves to us,” said Tenin.
Although holidays are a time for happiness, family, and celebration, it brings stress to many young workers as they try to balance holiday cheer with their scheduled hours.