Hello! So, I’m 16 years old and I have the option to work at an amazing place were I would get awesome benefits and amazing pay. But in order to do that I would have to quit band. I’ve been in band for 6 years, and every year I’ve tried to quit. But now that I have the option, I don’t fully know if I want to. Band stresses me out so much. I’ve had multiple anxiety attacks because of band. I’ve also haven’t been able to do as much stuff as I’d like because of band.
PROS:
-I would be stressed less
-I could do more stuff
-I would get an amazing job
CONS:
-I would miss marching band season
Sounds like an easy choice. My kids loved band and band camp every year. But if you don’t like it and want to quit, what’s the concern?
Is this a summer job? I’m curious what awesome pay and benefits are at 16.
I know several of our banders worked during camp, but it was at jobs with flexible hours - weekends and evenings.
My school has something called the “Worker/Helper Program” and it’s where we graduate early and go work at PSNS aka Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. We have to sign up for it when we’re sophomores or juniors. We start with $18-$24 an hour and we get healthcare along with it. The only way I could do this program is if I quit band.
What are your goals for after high school?
This strikes me as a good paying job, especially for a teenager. However, I am not sure “graduating early” would be seen as a positive to colleges, if indeed your goal is to attend college. Is whatever work you would be doing at the shipyard related to what you want to do in the future? Is there anything special about it other than the pay? Don’t you have healthcare through your parents already?
Can you help us see the long term value in this opportunity? I am not getting it.
I want to go into welding and the shipyard offers that. And I do have healthcare through my parents, yes, but this would help me be on my own. Some of the most successful people I’ve met have worked at the yard. Also the town I live in, the only three choices I really have is the military, shipyard, or college. And I’d still go to college since the yard would pay for my four years
My father was a civilian employee at a navy yard after he got out of the army. It was a nice federal job. He worked as a machinist until retirement. Right now my niece’s husband is doing an apprenticeship at the navy yard in pipe fitting I think. They are good jobs. I would see if your navy yard has an apprenticeship program though that you can look into after you graduate in addition to the current program.
I guess I’m not understanding the angst over this decision. Job aside, if band stresses you out this much I don’t see the point of staying in. I tried to talk my son into quitting so he could take more college prep courses but he just loves it. In fact his senior year he added jazz band before school as an extra class.
Are your parents pushing you to stay in or something?
They actually do. My mom is in it right now, and my school and the yard has a program called the PSNS Helper/Worker Program that I would be going into.
My mom was in band and that’s how she went to college, so I’ve always felt this pressure to be into it. And my mom gave me the option of being homeschooled or doing band. This is the first time she’s been okay with me wanting to quit.