r4344's journey

I’m feeling completely overwhelmed and desperate for a new job. Currently, I’m working as a barista at a small chain cafe, and it’s been a struggle. I make only $5 an hour and rely heavily on tips, which barely brings my average pay to around $11 or $12 an hour if I’m lucky. I’ve been at this job since November 2025, and honestly, I can’t take it anymore. The company is terrible. I work over 35 hours a week, yet my paychecks are still small. I’m constantly asked to do more than what’s in my job description, and when I report issues to my manager, nothing gets done. For instance, we’ve had multiple fridges break down for months without repairs. To make matters worse, we’ve been dealing with a serious ant problem since summer started. Instead of addressing it, my manager told us to kill the ants with bleach, which only made things worse. I ended up inhaling a lot of bleach, triggering multiple asthma flare-ups. Recently, the AC in the store broke down, and living in Texas, it was unbearable. The temperature inside reached the high 80s, and it took three weeks for them to fix it after a customer complained. Just last week, the AC broke again, and it got up to 99 degrees inside. My manager refused to let us close the store early, and after an 8-hour shift in that heat, I felt sick and exhausted. I’m 19 and starting college soon, and I need money for classes, but I can't continue working in these conditions. I have some savings, but I’m unsure how long it’ll take to find another job. I haven’t quit yet, but I’m seriously considering it because I don’t think I can handle another shift.