A young woman has gone viral after breaking down in tears about how stressful her first full-time job has been.
The move from being a university student to working a 9-to-5 can be tough. You can’t just skip a meeting like a lecture, and being hungover isn’t a good excuse for being late. Plus, your friends aren’t always available for a midday hangout because they also have full-time jobs.
Brielle recently shared her struggles on TikTok, asking, “In a 9-to-5, how do you have time for your life?”
In the video, Brielle cries while explaining her frustration. “I know I’m probably being dramatic, but this is my first 9-to-5 job after college,” she says. She mentions the long commute and how exhausting it has been.
She explains that she has to catch a train at 7:30 a.m. and doesn’t get home until after 6:15 p.m. By then, she says, she has no energy left to do anything. “I just want to shower, eat dinner, and sleep,” she shares. “I don’t even have the energy to cook or work out.”
Brielle clarifies that it’s not the job itself that’s the problem but having to work in the office and the long commute. She feels that if she worked remotely, things would be easier. “You finish at 5 and you’re home,” she says.
She also expresses concern about her social life. “How do you have friends? How do you have time to meet someone? I don’t have time for anything, and I’m so stressed out.”
Many people responded with support. One commenter said, “The 40-hour work week is outdated, and your feelings are valid.” Others shared similar experiences, with one saying, “I remember thinking, ‘This is what I couldn’t wait to grow up for?’”
However, some trolls criticized Brielle, calling her ‘weak’ and ‘privileged.’ One person wrote, “Welcome to life. The rest of us do it, get used to it.”
Despite the backlash, Brielle stood by her comments, telling The Independent that societal standards around work need to change. She hopes more companies will consider shorter work weeks, especially after many people worked remotely during the pandemic.
