Finally, I have to say that my position as a state employee ain't bad either. I get very good retirement and health benefits, and I also have a state bureaucracy to complain about daily. That is a psychological fringe benefit. This is, as you might expect, quite variable. If you are really lucky, you can do whatever you please.
Most professors have lots of committee work, meetings and encounters with bureaucrats.
To me, nothing is better than summers at marine labs. Internships are an ideal way to get introduced to marine biology research. Many marine laboratories have internships for college students. Internships for high school students are less common. One of the most successful systems is the Research Experiences for Undergraduate Programs, run by the National Science Foundation.