Summer Job
Alexys Valverde
I grew up a pretty simple life. My parents have always worked and provided everything for me and my older brother. Me and my brother never really asked for much growing up, but if we did, we were always told we would have to earn it. Earning it could be doing our chores around the house or helping out with things without even being asked. And looking back now I see that these were all just lessons that they were trying to teach us. Nothing in life is free, you have to work for what you want. This stuck with me, especially when I started going through middle school. Seventh and eighth grade year is when all my friends wanted to starting going out. I knew that if I wanted to go out, I would need money. So, this is when I started to work for my grandpa. I had worked with him before, helping him cut the grass here and there when he needed help, but I usually just rode the riding lawn mower or did the gardens with the push lawn mower. Then the summer after eighth grade year, before coming to NMMI, is when I really started working. This is also when I needed the most money. Everyone from my friend groups were turning 15 and all the girls were having their quinces and sweet sixteens. And there I was trying to go to all their parties and spending money left and right. I knew I would have to start putting in more hours and really earn my money. So instead of just using the riding lawn mower my grandpa started having me do the whole lawn all by myself, weed eater and everything. I would have to start by disconnecting all the water hoses and light fixtures. Then use the push lawn mower for the gardens and the places the riding lawn mower can’t fit. I would then continue with doing the rest of the yard with the riding lawn mower. Finally, I would have to do all the edging and spots I missed with the weed eater. When we would work together it would still usually take us four to six hours to do it. But know I was having to do it all by myself which would take me from 8 to 12 hours sometimes depending on how long it would take me to do all the edging. Again, this is in the summertime here in Roswell where the heat would get anywhere from 98 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit! I remember I would listen to music the whole time while cutting, and I would have to watch my phone. If I took it out of my pocket and left it in the sun to much, it would tell me it was overheating. It was in those moments that I felt like I was overheating too. I would take a break in the shade after finishing one side of the lawn. Or after my arm felt like it was going to fall off after holding the weed eater too long for a period of time just to try to finish it all in one shot. While sitting in the shade or resting I would just think about what all my other friends were doing, and how I was busting my ass off while they were just sitting on their asses doing nothing. Now looking back, I realize that those moments that made me want to quit and give up are what built me up to the person I am today. I know those days of me sitting there second guessing my choices are far from over. The main thing that took away from busting my ass off every time, is that feeling of sensation when it is all over. That moment when you can just sit there and look at all you had just accomplished is by far the best feeling, and is now the reason why I like to finish the things I start and that was where I had realized that I had mentally changed forever. Text goes here.
Alexys Valverde is from Roswell, New Mexico. This is his fourth and final year here at NMMI.