Most college students talk about how they don’t have fun jobs during the summer, but they go through with it anyway because let’s face it, we are college students and we need the money. Whether it’s being a waiter or waitress, a lifeguard, a cashier in a retail space, or nannying, most students don’t enjoy going to their jobs every summer back home. Even the internships aren’t always something we love, but again, all we need is money.

I started working at a real job when I was 14 (almost 15) years old. I was always determined to work and I honestly thought it would be cool to have a job. However, I didn’t know that it was going to be an experience from which I would learn. I worked for eight months at an Italian restaurant answering phones, attending the cash register, and being absolutely miserable. When I quit that job I thought I was going to hate working for the rest of my life. By the time I was 16, I wanted to stick with babysitting. Naturally, I made a flyer for myself, went around town to different homes, dropped them off, and waited to see who would contact me. I got some pretty amazing families from this, so it’s a great idea to those looking for babysitting gigs. However, the greatest call I received from this letter would end up being an offer for a job at my favorite place.

There is a fitness studio in our downtown that I had heard of but never been in. The owner at the time happened to be one of the moms in a home that I had contacted through my flyer. She asked me if I wanted a job working in the kid’s room over the summer. I was a little hesitant because I had NO clue what I was getting myself into, but something inside of me told myself to do it. I had met the owner in the studio, as well as her partner and the other staff, and I instantly fell in love with the place.

It is now three years later and I am still coming back to the studio to work or take a class every chance that I get. The staff feels like my family and they welcome me with open arms every time I come home for a break from school and need a job. They truly get excited when I come home. Everyone at the studio has helped me with anything I need, whether it be college, keeping a positive attitude, staying in shape, or advice on anything. How many people can say this about the people they work with? I am always eager to jump back into work in the studio, and every time someone asks me about my job, all I have to say is good things about everyone and everything that I do there. Leaving to go out of state for college is the hardest because I have to stop working.

Recently, within the last few months, was when I realized how much of an influence my job was on my future career. Currently, I am getting a degree in elementary education and plan on being a teacher when I get out of school. This still is my main focus; however, I have made some adjustments to my plan. Thanks to my job I finally got the courage to get my certification in teaching yoga. I love to teach and this is why I want to teach kids, but I have also loved yoga. I have been practicing yoga for five years and it is something I’m passionate about doing as much as I can. Thanks to the studio I work at, the atmosphere has given me the confidence I needed to pursue getting my certification. Maybe one day I will even start to teach at the studio like so many of the other staff members I look up to.

The other adjustment I have made was what I wanted to do later on in my life. I will always want to be a part of the life at my studio, even if it’s my second job to teaching children in a school. However, I eventually would like to settle down and raise kids of my own. One problem that I know will arise is the fact that I love to work and I love to be busy. I know that after my years as a mom I will want to go back to work again but still be able to be involved in my children’s lives. Thanks to my job at the studio I have decided to make it my career one day to run and own another studio as a part of the chain. This is all thanks to the wonderful role models I have watched over the years.

To think this was all thanks to what I thought was just going to be a summer job in high school is crazy. My summer job was able to influence my life and my career choice and I couldn’t be more grateful for my experience. My advice to all the high schoolers and college kids is to keep an open mind when looking into that summer job you might be dreading. You never know when that job might actually have a major impact on your life.