Intern Swaps High-Paying Job To Work In Canteen For "Happier Life"

A Chinese woman ditched high-paying job to work as a canteen worker to prioritise her happiness. Despite having a master's degree in journalism from Peking University, Huang, 26, decided to work at the university's canteen, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

Ms Huang comes from a remote part of the Hunan region in central China, and both of her parents work as bus drivers. They disagree with her choice to work at a canteen because they are worried about the job's physical demands and poor pay.

She said when people ask her parents about where she works, they just say, "Peking University." She said, "Many assume I am a professor there."

She begins her shifts early in the morning, works long hours, and spends the majority of her time on her feet. Students lovingly refer to her as "Mum Huang." She chops a lot of veggies, serves food, and ladles soup or porridge from big containers.

According to SCMP, Ms Huang completed her master's in 2022 and then interned at various media organisations and internet companies. Due to work pressure, she decided not to pursue her career in journalism.

Ms Huang said the work in media was mentally challenging as she had to constantly meet strict targets and goals. She said she had to always think about work and reply to her boss's messages or questions all day long. 

Her job was so demanding that she felt like she was always on duty even outside office hours. "Compared to those jobs, working as a canteen auntie brings me more joy," she added.

Her life as a canteen worker has not been a fairytale, either. Recalling an incident, she said her hands got swollen while cutting a big basket of hot peppers. "I had to bear the pain, but it disappeared by the next day," she said.

"At first, I struggled with the exhaustion of this job. However, I soon discovered that a good night's sleep would help me recover quickly," she added.

She makes 6,000 yuan (approx. Rs 69,300) a month and hopes to become the canteen's manager one day. Although her classmates earn 20,000 yuan (approx. Rs 2,31,000) per month, she said it doesn't concern her. "Working in the canteen is my choice, as it aligns with my personal happiness," she added.