Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@brielleybelly123
Topics: Viral
Stewart Perrie
A recent college graduate has opened up an important debate about work/life balance after starting her first job.
Brielle posted a video to her TikTok account where she lamented the struggles of having a life outside her nine to five.
Because she can't afford to live in the city, her commute takes more than an hour.
"I know I'm probably just being so dramatic and annoying, but this is my first job, like my first 9 to 5 job after college," she says.
"I'm in person, and I'm commuting in the city, and it takes me f**king forever to get there."
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That means she's getting on the train at 7:30am and she doesn't get home until after 6pm.
While many people who work regular jobs will say this is nothing groundbreaking, this is a new world for Brielle and she was surprised at how little time she had left in the day to do things she enjoyed.
She explained how exercising, cleaning, seeing friends has all become far more difficult as a result of getting a job.
"I want to shower, eat my dinner, and go to sleep," Brielle said.
"I don’t have time or energy to cook my dinner either. I don’t have energy to work out, like, that’s out the window."
The TikToker clarified that she loves her job, however the concept of spending so much time in a day to one thing was overwhelming.
Older viewers of her video said she was out of touch and needed to suck it up, however she started an important conversation about the current state of employment.
One person said: "The 40 hour work week is beyond outdated and your feelings are totally valid."
Another added: "40 hour work week was designed with a homemaker to take care of house tasks. We need dual incomes now, so that’s not possible. No time for anything."
A third wrote: "Also beyond the social part, how are we supposed to run errands and get things done outside of work?"
Others also said that when you add kids into that equation later in life it becomes even harder to get by.
In a statement to Insider, Brielle said this current set up perfectly explains why people are the way they are at the moment.
"I am very grateful to have my job after five months of unsuccessful searching after college, but it is discouraging and understandable why Americans are burnt out and mental illness levels are high," she said.