I'm honestly nearing the point of a break down because I hate zero hour contracts so bad.
I recently finished university and have moved back in with my parents while I hunt for a job (which is soul crushing given the job market) I'm working part time at a local business, it's small and although I'm part time they keep scheduling me on five, six, seven days a week, but the shifts are short. Even though the shifts may only be five hours long, my commute into town can often be two hours either way (living in the middle of nowhere) and so it's in essence full time. On top of this I spend two to four hours every day writing and sending off job applications, and my days off usually consist of interviewing or completing more job applications. My parents also moved after I went to university, meaning I have no support network or social life because I'm constantly working and I don't know anyone here.
My friend is having a party to celebrate them moving into their new house, and all of my friends from university will be there, and so I really want to go and reconnect with everyone, and honestly just socialise with people my own age. I couldn't give the required months notice for a single day off, but asked for either day off on the weekend of the party. This couldn't be accommodated. Fine, that's company policy that we give a month, and I won't rail to hard against that. So I'm going by train after work on one day, and then I'm hoping to get a train back in the morning before work. Unfortunately, the earliest train that day gets in 20 minutes after my start time at work. It's an early shift, and we don't usually get busy until a couple of hours into my shift, and so I hoped they'd be able to accommodate 20 minutes of leeway. No can do, you need a months worth of notice. I'm just so tired, I feel chronically exhausted, I spend all day working and commuting, then all night applying for jobs. I just want one night out to see my friends, and it seems ridiculous that even 20 minutes of leeway can't be made. Similarly, I have a night out with a friend planned for our joint birthday present, I gave 3 and a half weeks notice to my boss, the earliest I could. Nope, can't guarantee anything without four weeks. Am I alone in thinking that if you can't accommodate a single day off with 3 and a half weeks notice, then you may not be great at your job?
I hate it. I hate having no control of my schedule. I hate working six days a week even though I'm meant to be part time. I hate how my manager seems to accommodate every other persons needs except mine, especially when they seem so small and easy to make work. I hate how I feel like my manager uses this bullshit arbitrary four week rule to play god with other peoples lives. Fuck, I'm just so tired.