For most high school students, having a job is pretty important in their life. However, COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in most students’ plans. 

Treverton Tilton, a sophomore at De Soto High School, got his first job at JT’s Bar and Grill located in De Soto. He began working at JT’s in February and has worked throughout the pandemic.

“To be quite honest COVID didn’t affect my job that much. In the beginning when things started to shut down, customers started to be more wary about coming in, but we still had decent business,” Tilton said.

JT’s was only closed for a week in mid-March and the restaurant was cleaned from top to bottom. JT’s was only doing online orders for a period of time. 

“After quarantine was over, we started to reopen with restrictions. Customers still ordered take out more than coming in,” Tilton said. “But now we are almost back to normal and filling the entire restaurant most nights.”

As COVID is affecting everyone right now, restaurants and businesses are doing everything they can to follow social distancing guidelines and all necessary precautions.

“One of the biggest changes for the staff and me was we were required to wear masks, hand washing excessively. It’s been a little bit of a challenge, but as we’re getting busy again it’s starting to feel normal,” Tilton said.

While JT’s was cleaning the restaurant and making it fit to follow COVID rules, Tilton said he went a  few weeks without pay.

“I went a couple weeks maybe without pay, but then they upped my pay by $3 an hour and I worked once a week. A little later my pay went back to normal,” Tilton said.

As Tilton continues to work at JT’s,  Avery Bowlin, a sophomore at DHS, works at a horse barn and said that COVID hasn’t really affected her job. 

“The only thing we’ve had to do was social distance and wear masks if we’re around anyone. Since we’re outside and spread out my job hasn’t changed at all,” Bowlin said.

Since Bowlin hasn’t had to take a lot of time off work. She’s still getting paid and hasn’t missed payday.

In these uncertain times, students are doing what they can to keep their jobs and are hoping for the best.