By Amy M., Stephanie V., Ernest W., staff writers
High school teenagers take it upon themselves to get jobs during school. Before the COVID-19 pandemic kids would go to work after school, do their jobs, and come home without thinking twice about the environment they were in. Now, high schoolers continue to keep their jobs with all the risks of contracting this virus in order to make money. This causes many of the employed students to take many more precautions in order to keep themselves and the people around them safe from COVID. The question the Galileo Press wanted to know was – “How has COVID-19 affected your work life?”
“COVID affected my work life in a positive way, before I use to bus to work and now I walk to my work which is a good 17 minute exercise for me, something negative would be having to be in contact with people and them not wearing their mask or wearing it wrong.”
Christine Lee 12th Grader (Starbucks)
“It’s made me more aware of my surroundings. Since I work with many others around me, my paranoia has been skyrocketing but I think that’s completely understandable. I am sanitizing and washing my hands constantly multiple times a day and trying to keep my distance from others.”
Belle Huang 12th Grader (YMCA)
“I work at a juicery called Sidewalk Juice! So we definitely sanitize more than ever, counters, blenders just everything. We provide hand sanitizer for customers, we are required to wear gloves, face masks, aprons while we’re working. Right now it’s slower so tips have gone down due to the winter season. And there’s less days for workers because it’s slow!”
Jenin Nazzal 11th grader (Sidewalk Juice)
“Covid-19 affected my work life by making everything feel a bit weird at work at first with the mask wearing and social distancing. We always get customers who refuse to put back on their mask which is really frustrating and scary. After some getting used to, it seems like a normal work day but with masks and more cleaning. I feel safe at work as long as everyone wears their masks.”
Alina Gee 12th Grader (Old Navy)
“This is my first official job so I do get paranoid sometimes. I have to wear a surgical mask and another mask over that, gloves, and to sanitize my entire work area almost 10 times a day per shift.”
Daniel Li 12th Grader (Target)
