No wonder so many of us are miserable!"

I am a reading interventionist for third and fourth grade at a public elementary school.

I also teach whole-group math for a third-grade class whose primary teacher has only ever taught kindergarten.

Collage featuring text including "Gen Z journals," handwritten to-do lists, a receipt with a $1500 payment, a movie ticket, and a message saying, "WHAT WORLD WILL BE LEFT FOR US?"

My husbands salary as a middle-school science teacher in the same district is just about the same as mine.

Our rent is about $400 weekly, or $1600 monthly, for our two-bedroom apartment.

We typically spend around $150 on groceries.

A person with long curly hair, wearing glasses, a green sweater, and a patterned scarf, smiles at the camera

My husband and I pool both our incomes into one shared lump.

We take each of our paychecks and combine them.

I get paid bi-weekly, and my husband gets a monthly paycheck.

Summary of text content: Topics covered include occupation, money, daily to-do list, relationship, changes and challenges, community, and what differentiates Gen Z

My husband and I both work jobs that we enjoy, have great hours, and pay well.

That is a blessing in itself.

Another blessing that I am amazingly thankful for is that I was my paternal grandparents only grandchild.

"Occupation spelled with mixed-style letters on crumpled paper background."

My grandfather worked at PBS for years.

He was an incredible man.

I aim to get eight to eight-and-a-half hours of sleep each night.

Bookshelf labeled "Mrs. Andie's Books" with colorful books on shelves, a small plant, and a snow globe. Banners decorate the top shelf

I need to be up at 6 a.m. every day for work.

My husband started dating in November 2018 and married in the summer of 2023!

Second, neither of us is perfect, but were perfect for each other.

The word "Money" spelled out using letters cut from different magazines, placed on a crumpled paper background

I came home crying nearly every day.

I spent the whole weekend panicking about having to go back to school.

I have been overweight most of my life.

Receipt titled "Andie & Her Husband's Weekly Expenses" with expenses listed: Rent $400, Groceries $150, Takeout $100, Bills & Cats $200. Total: $850

Being overweight has been a huge issue in all aspects of my life.

There were periods when I lost some weight, but I always regained it.

My husband is about half my weight.

A pink movie ticket for Buzz Cinemas for Andie. The movie is on June 29, 2024, at 7:00 pm in Newport News, Virginia, in auditorium 03, row D, seat 08

I’m an only child; my parents were 41 and 39 when I was born.

My mom has already had a few health scares.

My parents are incredibly supportive.

A metal bucket with flowers attached on the side and text saying "Wishes Encouraged."

My in-laws are awesome, too.

Secondly, the future is uncertain.

No wonder so many of us are miserable!

Plastic containers holding cupcakes with frosting are placed on a stove. The time on the stove is 8:23

We havent been prioritized at all.

How can we expect to give our all to a world that hasnt given much to us?

What world will even be left for us in the coming years?

Text: Daily to-do list, styled with individually cut-out and pasted letters on a crumpled paper background

First and foremost, very few jobs pay a livable wage that someone can stay at for decades.

Does that job give you solid benefits and time off?

Is that job comfortable enough that you aren’t miserable?

Andie's to-do list includes getting up at 6 a.m., making breakfast, heading to school, teaching and assisting various lessons, chores, unwind time, and bed at 10 p.m

Also, will your pay increase even as inflation and the cost of living increase?

But thats also what drives me to serve my students as best I can.

Note: This submission has been edited for length and/or clarity.

A black cat sits on a neatly made bed in a cozy bedroom with a bookshelf, wall posters, and various personal items

Want moreGen Z Journals?

A felt art piece depicting a simple, abstract castle with two towers and a main entrance. The design includes basic geometric shapes and minimal detail

The word "Relationship" is spelled out in various cut-out magazine letters pasted on crumpled paper

Group selfie at an event: three people, two wearing baseball caps with "UM" and glasses, all smiling and sitting in a stadium

The word "changes" is spelled out using cut-out letters of different fonts and styles, arranged on a crumpled paper background

A calendar for January 2024 with handwritten notes: grocery shopping on the 7th, theater on the 27th, and "LAST DAY!" on the 30th. Sticky note says "Make cupcakes."

The image features the word "challenges" in a playful font collage on a crumpled paper background

Handwritten note on torn notebook paper stating: "Because I've been fat my whole life, I never got to be 'pretty.' I would love to experience being young and desirable just to see if it is as magical as I've always dreamed it would be…"

Handwritten text on torn notebook paper reads: "I have FOMO. It sucks that I will never be treated the way thin, 'pretty' women my age are."

Cut-out letters spell "Community" on a crumpled paper background

A red envelope addressed to Andie in Virginia with handwritten text, "Now forever my friend" and a postage stamp

Text on crumpled paper background reads: "What differentiates Gen Z?"

A one-dollar bill with the handwritten message, "What world will be left for us?"

CD case labeled "Songs That Help Andie Get Through Life" using pieces of tape with handwritten text

A white CD with a handwritten tracklist including songs: Reflection (Mulan), Barbara 2.0, Beetlejuice (The Broadway Musical), Roll to Me (Del Amitri), Beauty and the Beast, In My Own Little Corner (Cinderella)