I recently left my barista job at a local café for a new position at a different coffee shop that offered $13 an hour, working around 20-24 hours a week. Initially, the job seemed fine — the pace was slow, and I enjoyed interacting with my regular customers. However, my coworkers were a major downside; they often left messes for me to clean, arrived late, and generally didn’t pull their weight. Frustrated with the environment, I started looking for other opportunities. I had an interview lined up, but I missed the email notification and lost that chance. Feeling disheartened, I decided to reach out to a small business I liked, where the owner was always friendly. Luckily, they were hiring, but the pay was only $11 an hour for about 15 hours a week. While the work environment is pleasant, I’m now earning less and struggling to save for things I wanted. I can’t help but feel like I made a huge mistake by leaving my previous job. I keep thinking that maybe I should have taken more time to consider my options before making the switch. On the bright side, I know that there will be better opportunities in the future, but right now, I feel like I really messed up.