Waking up in the morning is a struggle for any student, but envision beginning the day at 3:30 a.m. Senior Tayler Doherty does just that for her job at the Great Plains Vet Hospital.

After arriving at 4:30 a.m., Doherty spends the majority of her morning tending to the animals by cleaning cages, preparing food and administering medications. Additionally, she strives to improve the appearance of the clinic.

Doherty said her passion for working with animals has inspired her to pursue this career.

“I was like every little girl and that was the big dream, working with animals. I never really got over that,” Doherty said.

Doherty leaves the veterinary clinic at 7:30 a.m. to begin the seven-hour school day. Occasionally, she returns to the vet hospital at 5:00 p.m. to repeat her morning work, totaling to an average 20 hours per week.

“I am really tired all the time because it is three hours before school, waking up at 3:30 a.m. I get about four or five hours of sleep every night, but I am getting used to it,” Doherty said.

As a result of little sleep, Doherty dedicates additional effort to balancing work and school.

“When I get home, I don’t have the motivation to start studying because I’m exhausted and I want to take a nap,” Doherty said. “I really want to keep my job and I really want to do good in school, so I find a way to balance those because they are both very important to me.”

Although Doherty said her job can be stressful at times, she enjoys her work at the hospital and recommends the experience to students with similar passions.

“If it is something you are really interested in, I think it is definitely worth it, even if you will be tired,” Doherty said. “You learn a lot and not a whole lot of people get to experience that as a teenager, so I think it is really worth it.”