I'm a full time college student (18 credits) and work about 25-30 hours a week at a somewhat-popular fast food-like chain. I walk there and back (about 20 minutes each way) and work 8-10 hour shifts about 3 times a week. I work nights, and am oftentimes out after 2am. It SUCKS. My coworkers? Great. Managers? Fucking fantastic. It still doesn't make up for the extreme physical pain and emotional toil.
I have pretty bad chronic pain as well. I'm pretty healthy yet standing for more than about an hour exhausts me, and I get severe foot and knee pain often for no apparent reason. and I usually only take a 10 minute break each shift; rarely a 30 even though I can usually get one, they're unpaid and I need this money as I'm fully financially independent.
Other than the pain the customers fucking scream at me. I'm autistic and often don't know how to handle this. They've made threats and cursed at me and I often get overwhelmed. The pay is ok, $16 an hour, but it just feels like so much work and I dread it every day I have it. It's also basically impossible to keep up with 18 credits as well as this job. I just don't know what to do. I tried applying to content writing websites since I'm a good writer but they all say they're looking for older and more experiences writers… even though I'm quite good and have won multiple writing, essay and poetry contests. I can't quit my job either; I have to pay rent and eat, as well as tuition.
If anyone has advice it's appreciated, but it's mostly just a vent. I don't know what I'm supposed to do other than stay in this job where my mental and physical health is rapidly deteriorating.