I was a barista at a pretty successful shop, where we did a LOT of business. It could be fairly back breaking work at times. Despite winning a few awards (excus

I was a barista at a pretty successful shop, where we did a LOT of business. It could be fairly back breaking work at times. Despite winning a few awards (excuse the brag), I don't think I ever made more than $44,000 a year in a high cost of living metro. But yea, being young, working with my hands, and having significantly less after work mental baggage was all awesome. Doing painful physical labor 40 hours a week, but barely being able to afford rent and having no sick days or health care makes it a pretty poor trade in the big picture. There really are two Americas, and having lived in both, it is much better in the bubble than on the outside. Everyone is different so ymmv, but that is my experience.