Some two years ago i was working as an art teacher and I got so stressed almost a year later i quit. Funny how an art job can make me stressed right? But....Make up students came on days where classes were full load, every kid was doing a different thing, water bowls needed changing, calls needed to be answered, boss had great expectations, walk-ins needed to be handled while the class goes neglected, paint needed to be squeezed and adding on students needed to be taught, we had to prepare fast before the next batch of students came in as well, payment and cheques also had to be done immediately after. I had to show a smile to kids and adults, even after being so drained, to welcome them with high pitched voices and look excited as my boss complained i didnt have energy. Kids who wanted to hide under the table or not listen. Sometimes girls with long hair got their hair stuck in the hair dryer and there would be burning smells. Paint needed to be replenished. Students works needed touching up according to boss. Works had to be hair dryer-dried before filing, one class ranged from a 4year old kid to a 8-9 year kid and all wanted different colors or positions of their subject matter. We came to work late like 1pm and we ended at 9pm, no proper dinner break at all such that we had to eat in class some small snacks or bread etc. She didnt pay OT and we needed to mark attendance as well making our work end over 9pm. Each work needed to be completed within two lessons ( meaning one week one lesson etc). Brushed needed washing. Holidays come and all are happy except us, it was hell, chaos, and we had to do samples, prepare canvasses, clay, watercolor and wcpaper etc. Worry how to teach kids who have zero knowledge on art. Have frequent meetings on how to do things. The toilet door was translucent and a foldable door that cant be fully locked. I got so paranoid with that because there were kids and men around and i felt so insecure. In my stressful period i downed four bottles of coke a day for four months straight and got so addicted with chewing ice i chewed daily for another few months. I ate and ate even when i wasnt hungry, i didnt know how to stop and i had no self control. Whatever i saw that was so pretty i had to buy it even if it meant overspending. Or i would binge watch dramas till the next morning till i completed all the episodes. I was hospitalised due to low blood count and never realised i was anaemic, i told my boss about my thoughts but she compared me to her senior staff and i could sense she felt i was lacking and incompetent and complaining and not doing a good job. I felt resentful and felt my boss was only in for the money and development of her franchise, our pleas were not heard and she continued to pretend she cared for us.
I had had enough and I quit, i still miss those days with my colleagues but i realised a job like this with too much multi-tasking and impromptu situations really affected my mental health. I also had an extraverted perceiver colleague. She could handle last minute changes and accept things easily, it took a long time for me to accept the situations as they gave me tremendous stress. And back then i never knew i was a judger as i was isfp at that period of time. I really hated sudden changes and got really unhappy and angry about it. My friend and partner in the same room had also quit and i was left alone to teach there. My boss was a big fake who smiled whenever parents were around but refused to look at me unless she had something to tell me. I have flatfeet and wore slippers, she said no slippers as everyone had to take out their shoes so the teachers must as well. I literally ignored her and continued wearing them, it made no sense here is a person having to teach long hours without sitting, walking continuously, having flatfeet which hurt so much after last class and all she requested was for me to wear socks. My respect was lost for her.
I cant stand people who think they care but really it shows in your actions and choice of words. So what guys are your darkest times and what have you done to cope with stress? And i wonder if anyone is a major coke fan too.
I had had enough and I quit, i still miss those days with my colleagues but i realised a job like this with too much multi-tasking and impromptu situations really affected my mental health. I also had an extraverted perceiver colleague. She could handle last minute changes and accept things easily, it took a long time for me to accept the situations as they gave me tremendous stress. And back then i never knew i was a judger as i was isfp at that period of time. I really hated sudden changes and got really unhappy and angry about it. My friend and partner in the same room had also quit and i was left alone to teach there. My boss was a big fake who smiled whenever parents were around but refused to look at me unless she had something to tell me. I have flatfeet and wore slippers, she said no slippers as everyone had to take out their shoes so the teachers must as well. I literally ignored her and continued wearing them, it made no sense here is a person having to teach long hours without sitting, walking continuously, having flatfeet which hurt so much after last class and all she requested was for me to wear socks. My respect was lost for her.
I cant stand people who think they care but really it shows in your actions and choice of words. So what guys are your darkest times and what have you done to cope with stress? And i wonder if anyone is a major coke fan too.
