There are firsts for everything, whether it is getting your first car or your first real job. Having a car and working are both a new part of my life.
On April 5 I turned 16 and acquired my license, adding many new responsibilities.
I was ecstatic the day I received my driver's license and was able to drive alone for the first time. Turning 16 has proven that earning freedoms and becoming independent is challenging and involves many decisions.
Not only was I excited, I was nervous. Would I accidentally drive too fast by a cop and get pulled over? Get in a crash? Or have any other problem with the car like a flat tire?
All of these fears have taught me to be a more cautious driver and reminded me to be responsible.
Once I got a car, however, I needed to find a job to pay for it.
Since the whole experience of job hunting was new to me, I needed some help. My parents gave me various suggestions and tips and guided me through the application process. Once hired, I would be in the business world for good. I collected applications from everywhere. Visiting businesses from the Cherry Street Market in Kalkaska to Woodland Sweets, the Resort and Subway in Acme and Traverse City, I was able to observe the environments and had my heart set on a specific place. Now all I had to do was strive to impress the boss.
I was hit with an interview right on the spot. "I will for sure hire you at the beginning of the summer..." I was screaming with excitement in my head when I heard this; I may have actually received my first job offer.
In late June, I got a call asking if I would like to come in to Woodland Sweets, the job I had my eye set on, to be trained. No way was I going to say no. I got ready, jumped in my car, and took the 15-minute drive to work. I was nervous yet my soon-to-be coworkers treated me like family.
Working at Woodland Sweets has also showed me responsibility. I am never lethargic because there is so much to do: tidy up products to keep organization, stock anything that gets low, run the cash register, make coffee in the mornings, and scoop ice cream all day long.
Earning that paycheck at the end of the week is the most thrilling part.
Although gaining freedoms such as getting a new car and job is thrilling for teenagers, parents are considerably less thrilled, maybe even somewhat stressed. Many parents cannot fully trust their teenager and therefore may have many worries.
Can my teen be safe in a car and not "mess around"? Will they be able to take responsibility and avoid slacking at work? Will they be able to hold a job? Will they be honest? When the day comes when a teen receives a driver's license and finds a job, the pressure is on both the new driver and their family.
But parents are not the only ones that are apprehensive about these freedoms and responsibilities. Teenagers worry about the decisions they make; they want to protect their life as well as the lives of others.
Also, they want to be responsible and successful in order to make their families proud.
The events that occurred this year were more than satisfying and allowed me to use my car. I could pay for gas and insurance and enjoy my achievements of getting a job. The point, however, is that parents are not the only ones that worry about the experiences or challenges of life -- so do teenagers!
Alexis Floyd is a junior at Elk Rapids High School.
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