i [f21] work with animals. I make a little less than 40k/year in a high-cost of living area; my partner makes over double which allows me to continue working here. For the most part its awesome. I love it. But its weeks like these that I feel exhausted to my core. They want me to work a full 7 days and put in around 50-55hrs of work this week, with 10 hours happening friday and coming back to work 1AM that night until about 5am. They want me to 'take a nap' saturday and continue working. If I don't continue working Saturday, I'm going to have to only take Sunday and half Monday off. After working for 7 days a week, I'l get 1.5 days off. These overnight shifts are some of the most physically demanding things I've ever experienced, not to mention Friday will be a full 10 hours of VERY intensive work. I don't get breaks at all, ever. You work until you're done at my workplace. These overnight shifts happen pretty frequently, I'm expected to do it once or twice a month. Even without doing the overnight shift, I still work intense hours with no breaks.
I want to cry. This is the first job I'm passionate about, and I feel like I'm getting punished in a way. I don't get overtime because I'm salaried but I'm also getting potatoes for my salary.
My friends encourage me to quit but I don't know where I'll go or what I'll do. My coworkers are very nice and they try to be accommodating and flexible, but they also work themselves to the bone. My supervisor I'm not sure ever has a day off. I'm passionate about what I do but this is so intense. This is the best paying job I've had since I don't have a degree. I just want to vent to people that might understand.