Perkins begins her work days by managing her schedule. She first figures out what time she needs to wake up to get to her workplace on time. This allows her to have an easy and peaceful morning.

“I normally start my day not in a rush because I tend to manage my time correctly to get [to Publix] on time,” Perkins said. “I’m able to eat a good breakfast and take my time getting ready before I drive off to work.”

Once Perkins arrives at work, she begins her shift by either bagging or training to become a cashier in a separate room. She tends to prefer her longer shifts, typically six hours, as it feels like time is passing by quicker than it does during shorter shifts, typically three hours. 

“I don’t look at the clock as much when my shifts are long, which causes me to be more productive and time to go by quicker,” Perkins said.

Towards the end of her shift, Perkins is usually exhausted and ready to go back home. She attributes this to feeling sleepy after eating during her lunch breaks.

Once Perkins finishes her shift and arrives back home, she goes ahead and gets her academics out of the way. Despite having a busy day, she finds time to complete her course load.

“I’m normally swamped with homework due to my AP classes and I could easily be overwhelmed,” Perkins said.

Once her school work is completed, Perkins starts to prepare dinner with her mom. After this is done, she sits down with the rest of her family to eat and talk about their day.

Perkins starts her nighttime routine once she is done with her dinner. She prefers having a simple routine to get to bed in an easy and timely manner.

“I start my nighttime routine by taking a shower, washing my face, and brushing my teeth,” Perkins said. “I then get into bed, watch some Youtube, and then I call it a night.”

Perkins’ working schedule cause her day to be packed. As a result, she must find ways to get tasks and activities done in an efficient way. Dealing with the challenges of balancing both a part-time job and school, Perkins has overcome any issues by managing her schedule properly.