As we grow older, we tend to seek independence and desire expensive things such as a car, which our parents may not be willing to buy for us. Alternatively, our parents may nag us to start contributing towards household chores and bills. The process of applying for a job generally begins around the age of 15, but in my case, it started at 16.

During the summer after my sophomore year of high school, I began to grow more independent from my parents and started hanging out with friends who were a year or so older than me. They often talked about their jobs and how nice it was to be able to buy unnecessary things that they didn't really need. One of my friends, Annabelle, stood out to me because she had a car. I thought she was the coolest person ever. I often daydreamed about what it would be like to drive down Lake Shore Drive with the wind blowing through my hair, the windows rolled down, and Bad Bunny blasting from my blacked-out caddy.

"Serena, why don't you go out with your friends for a change?" asked my mom, looking at me with concern. "It's summer, and you should be enjoying yourself." "I know, Mom," I replied with a sigh. "But most of the things my friends want to do require money, and I don't have a lot of it." "I understand that, but you can always find ways to have fun without spending too much," she said reassuringly. "Why don't you look for a part-time job? I saw many 'We're hiring' signs in town the other day." I thought about it for a moment. It wasn't a bad idea. "Yeah, maybe you're right," I said, nodding my head. "I'll start looking for some job openings tomorrow." 

I had applied for a job at the Dunkin' Donuts located at the gas station down the street from my house. I was hoping to hear back from them soon, but weeks had passed by without any response. The anticipation and uncertainty of not knowing what was happening with my application made me feel disappointed and anxious. I had always been skeptical of working in fast-food restaurants due to the negative opinions shared by my older friends, who stated “that the pay was not good enough for the amount of work that was expected” and that “it was the worst field to start your first job.” Despite their discouragement, I remained interested in working there, as I thought it would be a good way to gain some work experience. One day, while discussing my job search with my mother, she suggested the idea of working at Panda Express. She mentioned that she had a friend who had been working there for years and was very happy with her job.

I initially refused to fill out the job application for various reasons, and I told my mother that I wasn't interested. However, a few days later, she informed me that she had completed the application and that Tere had recommended me for the position. She also informed me to anticipate a call in the next few days. I went into the interview with low expectations but was pleasantly surprised when they offered me the job on the spot. I worked extensive hours, almost 40 hours a week for 5-6 days, and was later promoted to a shift lead position with a starting pay of $17.50. Despite knowing the responsibilities and stress that came with the position, I took the risk.

After putting in extra hours at work, I was finally able to save enough money for a down payment on the car that I had been dreaming of since my earlier high school days. I took the Saturday off of June 24th to take a trip to the Napleton Cadillac dealership in the city with my family to go look at cars. While my mom just wanted to browse, I had a goal in mind of obtaining that car. I did extensive research beforehand to show my mom that I was prepared and all we had to do was go buy the car. After a long 5.5 hours that felt like days, I drove off the parking lot with my 2016 CTS while smiling almost ear-to-ear. The car was a metallic black color, with blacked-out rims and a beautiful tan patent leather interior that shone in the sun. 

That was the happiest day of my life. My mom even let me drive to my aunt's house. When I arrived, they thought I was crazy about buying such a car, but it was my biggest achievement, and I didn’t care what they had to say. Buying that car gave me a sense of freedom to do what I want, when I want, without any fear or hesitation. I sometimes feel selfish whenever I drive to school and see my old friends taking the bus. However, I decided to drop them so that I could focus on my goals, as I felt they were holding me back. I don't regret it at all, but I do miss the friends that I lost along the way.

I am proud that at the age of 17, I was able to purchase a car by myself. I realized that if I wanted to drive it, I would have to work every day after school and on weekends with my colleagues instead of spending time with my friends. I took the risk of sacrificing my free time and social life to achieve what I wanted. Accomplishing my goal gave me a feeling of being on top of the world, and I hope everyone can experience this feeling. This job taught me the value of hard work, and that one must work hard to achieve their goals because nothing is handed to us in life.