I've been reflecting on my situation lately as a 19-year-old immigrant living with my parents. I've always held a negative view of minimum wage jobs, thinking of them as a sort of humiliation or a form of payroll slavery, influenced by family and media. However, after facing numerous rejections from decent jobs, apprenticeships, and universities, I'm starting to feel the pressure of needing to earn money. The thought of applying for positions like cashier, waiter, or promoter really shakes my belief system. I desire personal freedom and a better future, but I find myself stuck in this dilemma. I live in a European country where labor laws are generally supportive of workers, yet I still feel hesitant about taking a minimum wage job. I'm considering whether it's worth it to take one of these jobs or if I should wait it out until college or pursue my own side hustle, like YouTube or a niche tech repair business. I could really use some outside perspective on this situation.