The second shift
From early meetings in the morning to after-school practices, some Ransom Everglades students spend more than ten hours at school before heading home. Even then, however, for some students, the long day still isn’t over. Some students have taken on side gigs that go way beyond typical after-school activities.
After a full day of classes, Luca Akin ’27 heads home and opens his laptop—not to start homework, but to edit his latest podcast episode centered on political and social issues. He does heavy research beforehand, plans discussions, records audio and visuals, and edits each episode, all while trying to release content on a consistent schedule. He spends hours recording, editing, and preparing content each day often before even beginning his own schoolwork.
Isa de Sabrit ’28 works at Kumon, a tutoring company, where she spends her shifts grading assignments, helping younger kids understand the material, and guiding the kids through their work. She says that she often finds herself looking for patience and growing her strong communication skills. For her, this job isn’t just correcting students; it requires hours of focus and flexibility around each student’s needs.
“It just takes a while to communicate with younger kids,” De Sabrit said.
Mateo Bernal ’27, a DJ, has a completely different routine. He spends his time curating playlists, preparing for events, and making and perfecting his own music. His work often happens on the weekends, but there is still a lot of planning that takes place on school nights. Mateo doesn’t just DJ; he puts together a whole show. On top of bringing his DJ set, he also brings multiple speakers, fog machines, lights, and more.
At Ransom Everglades, side gigs like these are becoming more common among students. They require time management, discipline, and sacrifice. Passions like these come with both benefits and challenges. While each student's experience is different, they all face the same question, “How do you balance it all?”
De Sabrit said that planning is the starting point. She has learned to organize her days around her shifts. “If I know I have Kumon on Thursdays, I’ll make sure to do all my homework for Friday and Wednesday,” she said. By staying organized, she avoids feeling overwhelmed after long days.
Similarly, Akin explained that balance is not something that comes easily. “I don't think there's any recipe… it's really just allocating time to what you find necessary,” he said.
In a different way, Akin described the difficulty of staying consistent with his podcast while keeping up with school. Maintaining regular content has been a “very tricky process,” especially when trying to stay productive over time.
However, all three students agreed that the benefits outweigh the difficulties. Bernal thinks about his side gig as something that blends into his day-to-day life. For him, “Music is something de-stressing… it's a fun thing to do,” he said. He doesn't see DJing as work, but as a passion that allows him to express himself. This perspective highlights an important aspect of student-sided gigs. When something is driven by genuine interest, it can feel less like an obligation and more like a meaningful, enjoyable part of life.
