badgrafxghost
badgrafxghost t1_j37nizn wrote
If you want something a lot more unique and fun, I HIGHLY recommend looking at working as a deckhand on the Baltimore Water Taxi.
In addition to getting lots of customer service experience you'll learn a ton about working on the water and the hospitality/tourism industry. If you enjoy working on the water, you can use the sea time you earn to eventually get a USCG captain's license which is incredibly valuable professionally, even outside of the maritime industry. If you don't care about that it can just be a hell of a fun place to work where you can make a lot of good friends while getting paid to play on someone else's boats.
I worked there while in high school back in the mid-90s. Fell in love with working on the water and got my captain's license as soon as I was able (back then that was all on my own, these days they pay for sea school and all training once you have enough time). With that captain's license I spent most of the next decade working all over the country on all sorts of different vessels from tour boats to heavy offshore industry. These days I work in tech but I keep my captain's license current and it is still a great ace in the hole on my resume to set me apart from other candidates when interviewing for jobs... plus it's a skillset that I'll always have as a fallback option.
The point is that, quite frankly, your parents are wrong. There are a ton of other job options out there above and beyond fast food that can give you much more valuable experience than just a paycheck. I have no affiliation with the Water Taxi but working there was a great experience when I was your age and still serves me well these days almost 30 years later.
badgrafxghost t1_j5aswgd wrote
Reply to Fun classes for adults? Cooking/other creative activities? by librarysquarian
Station North Tool Library does a lot of great classes that are very fun and a great way to learn some new skills.
I took the kitchen knife making class back in the first year they started offering it and had a blast. Learned a ton, met some cool people, and left with a new set of skills that I've used to make custom gifts for friends and family several times since.