Students have a lot on their plates.

During the week, school from 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., sports from 4:30–6:30 p.m. and homework for at least three hours.

But on weekends, some students brave an entirely different challenge: a real, professional job.

Having a job comes with many benefits: learning time management, earning money independently and gaining real-world experience.

Sophomore Lucas Herrera, a server at Taco y Vino, started working when he was 12, where he was originally just a busboy who cleaned tables. Since then, he’s taken on many more responsibilities at the restaurant.

“My dad worked when he was young and encouraged me to do the same to build in some responsibility and independence into my life,” Herrera said.

His job grants him a lot of flexibility in the number of hours he works, ranging from zero to 12 hours every weekend.

“A Sunday shift can take about six hours, where I’ll run up and down the restaurant with drinks, clean sets of dishes and food items,” Herrera said. “I also take orders and chat with patrons, which are often St. Mark’s students or alums.”

In addition to working at the restaurant, Herrera also has catering events that last around six hours. With all that time spent working, he has far less time to spend doing homework or maintaining a social life.

But surprisingly, he has no issue managing his time.

“Homework is no issue: I manage my time well,” Herrera said. “Working hasn’t affected my school, and school hasn’t affected my work. I have time on Fridays to go out with my friends and attend various functions in Dallas.”

Herrera considers himself lucky to have the opportunity to experience a real-world environment  outside the St. Mark’s bubble. While students may commonly question the purpose of a formal education in the working world, Herrera’s job has allowed him to see the value of a higher level of education. At the same time, the job has given him a sense of financial independence.

“I would especially recommend having a job if you like discretionary spending,” Herrera said. “I don’t really need the money for anything, but I enjoy having some extra money to spend on what I please and purchase gifts for people.”