Woodbury Town Center is a popular hub for students, acting as a dependable study area for some and, for others, an opportunity to dip their toes into the workfield. Students who utilize the plentiful jobs available at the diverse array of restaurants are juniors Tabitha Bradley and Neha Scott, who work at Starbucks and First Class Pizza respectively.

Though work is an integral experience that opens up opportunities for the future, there can be obstacles that come with balancing work and school. Time management is crucial for students to simultaneously succeed in both of their priorities. A shorter commute with the close proximity of the area to campus and nearby neighborhoods aids in maintaining good time management.

Scott chooses to manage her time by working on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and utilizing her free seventh and eighth periods as an open time slot for completing homework. Similarly, Bradley works only on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a free eighth period.

“I am happy working at Woodbury Town Center because I know a lot of the people that come in there because of my classmates and my neighbors. I like it because it’s local and a good environment, and Starbucks and the other neighboring restaurants are very kind toward each other,” Scott said. “I also get a lot of discounts and free things and all of my coworkers are really nice.”

Woodbury Town Center’s many job opportunities teach students unique lessons and provide experience. On a résumé, work experience is extremely important as it develops invaluable employability skills that cannot be established simply from school.

“I get to learn how to deal with my own finances and how to save and spend money in an efficient and smart way. I also learn how to work with people in an actual working environment,” Bradley said. “I’ve learned that you can’t please everyone; sometimes your coworkers aren’t great, and you’re going to have to deal with that. If you give off happy and good energy to customers and your coworkers, you’ll receive it back.”