If I didn’t work from age 15 on outside of these hours I wouldn’t have been able to buy my own crappy car, pay for the gas and insurance, buy myself clothes and have money to go out and do things with friends, wouldn’t have been able to save up for my Macbook for college, or buy all of my textbooks.

Not everyone has the privilege to have parents that support them and help pay their way. I worked hard at a diner making $5 an hour plus tips and still found the time to take my AP classes and squeeze in some time with friends too. That was back in 2008-2012; the recession hit my family hard and if I wanted some of the things other kids’ parents were able to help them with I had to go out there and earn them myself.