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☆ I left Silicon Valley for a dream job in Chicago. I wasn't prepared for how crushing the loneliness could be.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I interned for a company called Bridge Money during my MBA at Stanford. I wanted to work at a fintech company, and this opportunity with Bridge Money was the exact type of role I wanted. AdvertisementI'd heard that Chicago was becoming more of a startup hub but not on the same level as Silicon Valley. Bridge Money offered me the possibility of an equity grant — if all went well at the company, my equity would increase in value. At Bridge Money, I was one of the first 10 full-time hires.

Persons: Jaime Muñoz, —, I'd, Stanford, Muñoz, Jaime Muñoz I'd, I've, I'm, Everyone's, It's Organizations: Stanford, Service, Chicago, Accenture, San Locations: Chicago, California, Bay, Silicon, San Francisco

☆ I'm a Gen Zer who lived without a smartphone for 9 months. Here's what I learned from having a clunky flip phone.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-06 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementHaving a flip phone removed the impulse to do things on my phone without thinkingThe flip phone I got was clunky and slow. I had to get a smartphone again for workI stopped using the flip phone after nine months. AdvertisementI also felt that having a flip phone hindered me from meeting people and being easy to communicate with. If I were getting to a point where I felt I was using my phone too much, I'd know I could go back to using a flip phone. AdvertisementBefore having a flip phone, I would spend five hours or more a day on my smartphone, but now I think it's more like one or two.

Persons: —, Ella Jones, Jones, she'd, StudentCrowd, I've, I'd, you'll, I'm Organizations: Service, Samsung Galaxy Young, YouTube, Business, Google, Nokia, Facebook Locations: Belfast, Northern Ireland

☆ I've been laid off 5 times. The first one was devastating — but I wouldn't have reinvented myself without them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementWhen I first started working, I could not have imagined that I'd have to live through layoffs five times over eight years. I've worked in magazine media, startups, and tech. AdvertisementI am very loyal to all of the people that I've worked for and worked with. I started working as a director of marketing content strategy for Dropbox in August 2020. What I've learned after five layoffs in less than eight years is that no industry is immune to instability.

Persons: Betty Wong Ortiz, She's, Ortiz, —, I've, Rocco DiSpirito, I'd, We'd, Meredith, It's Organizations: Service, Fitness Magazine, Meredith Corporation, Blink Health, Dropbox, Blink Locations: Lake George , New York, Dropbox

☆ I thought having my own office meant I'd 'arrived,' but it was depressing. Here's why open-plan office layouts are best.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

During that time, she's worked in cubicles, open plan offices, and has had her own office spaces. There was another intern who had her own cubicle with high walls that kind of looked like a mini office. I've spent 10 years in financial services, where I worked in everything from high-walled cubicles to open office floor plans to eventually having my very own office. I also spent 10 years in B2B tech and software-as-a-service companies, where there's nothing but open office plans. Having my own office was depressing and soul-crushingHaving your own office is associated with prestige and privacy, but my first experience of this was horrible.

Persons: Jennifer Moore, she's, —, I've, Moore Organizations: Service Locations: cubicles, Salt Lake City, Wells Fargo

☆ I'm a Gen Z mom. DINKs showing off their splurging and traveling gave me FOMO, but I don't regret having kids.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He really wanted kids but said it was fine if I didn't, as he loved me and just wanted to be with me. I thought having a family with him would be amazing. I don't think we would have planned far ahead enough to do a trip like that before having kids. I don't regret having kids youngI really enjoy being a mom. I didn't want to get to a point in my career where I was doing really well and then take a big break.

Persons: —, Megan Pagel, Michael, DINK —, Pagel, Covid, it's, I'm, DINK, I'd, I've Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Tasmania, Australia

☆ I moved to Finland for the music scene, and now see why it's the happiest country in the world
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Seraphine Meschberger loved concerts in Finland so much she'd fly there from Switzerland to attend. In November 2022, I decided to move to Finland for concerts and music after graduating from university. I decided to move when flights to Finland got more expensive after the pandemicWhen I visited Finland for concerts, I stayed in Airbnbs and hostels. AdvertisementI think Finland is one of the 'happiest' countries in the world and I prefer it to SwitzerlandSince moving to Finland eight months ago, I've been to 16 concerts and two music festivals. AdvertisementIn this regard, Finland is very similar to Switzerland, but I still prefer Finland.

Persons: Seraphine Meschberger, —, she'd, Michael Monroe, I've, I'd, Meschberger, I'm, hasn't Organizations: Service, McDonald's, didn't Locations: Finland, Switzerland, Helsinki, Finnish, Zurich, Airbnbs, Ruisrock, Meschberger

☆ I'm a millennial who thought cubicles were a dreary relic from the '90s — then I realized they can be social and personal
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Sydney Baker, 27, about her experience working in office cubicles. AdvertisementBaker's first office cubicle space. People think cubicles are dreary, but decorating them can make them light and brightMy preconception about cubicles was that they didn't get a lot of sunlight. I also like that cubicles can be social, but you also have the flexibility to not be social when needed. I've never worked in an open-plan office but think I'd prefer the privacy cubicles affordI've toured open-plan offices but never worked in one.

Persons: —, Sydney Baker, cubicles, I've, I'd, there's, . Baker, Bradley McKee Organizations: Service, Business, Amazon Locations: cubicles

☆ We moved to Finland and aren't sure it's the 'happiest country in the world' — but we have no regrets
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Kovalonoks and Goswami got married in Turku, Finland, in August 2023. We think Finland is a good place to raise childrenMegha: We rent an apartment in Turku, a few kilometers from the city center. Megha: We would like to have a family of our own someday, and we think Finland is a good place to raise children. Courtesy of QpidindiaWe think expats in Finland face unique challengesMegha: Finland has been named the happiest country in the world six times in a row in the World Happiness Report. I think Finland has several things that allow people to be content, such as work-life balance and good healthcare and education.

Persons: —, Kristaps Kovalonoks, Megha Goswami, Megha, wasn't, Kristaps, Kovalonoks, Goswami, Barbara Kaucher, we're, We've, that's, I've Organizations: Service, University of Turku, Business Locations: Finland, Estonian, Latvia, India, Turku, Nordic, Riga

☆ I'm an 83-year-old doctor who still works 50-hour weeks. I never give any thought to retirement — I still have things to contribute.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I'm working just as much now as I was when I was doing surgery. I still feel I could operate, but think patients might question it at my age. The work I'm doing now can potentially touch thousands of patients. The work that I'm doing, as well as exercising, is allowing me to use my brain, which develops neuroplasticity. I feel very fulfilled with what I'm doing now.

Persons: —, Dr, Joseph Maroon, I'd, I've, I'm, Chuck Noll, Maroon, Joseph Maroon I've, they're, There's, you've, there's, Joe Biden, Trump's, Joe, . Maroon Organizations: Service, University of Pittsburgh, Business, Pittsburgh Steelers, World Wrestling Entertainment, National Science Advisory, Chuck Noll Foundation, WWE, Air Locations: Pittsburgh

☆ ChatGPT helped me renovate my kitchen. Here's how it saves me time on everyday tasks outside of work.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Meg Faibisch Kühn discovered ChatGPT a year ago and started using it every day at work. It wasn't immediately obvious that ChatGPT was a tool for enhancing my personal life as well as my work. ChatGPT helped me renovate my kitchenMy husband and I wanted to renovate our kitchen in the most cost-effective way possible. Screenshot from ChatGPT/Courtesy of Meg Faibisch KühnI was able to use it to figure out how many tiles I needed for the floor. Courtesy of Meg Faibisch Kühn3.

Persons: Meg Faibisch Kühn, —, ChatGPT, Meg Faibisch Kühn I've, we've, I've Organizations: ChatGPT, Service, YouTube, US Department of Agriculture Locations: San Rafael , California, ChatGPT

☆ We retired in Italy after visiting once over a decade ago. After selling our US home, we live a cheaper, slower life.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Glenda and Randy Tuminello moved to Italy in December 2022, after selling their home in Texas. AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Glenda and Randy Tuminello, both 70, who left the US in 2022 to retire to southern Italy. During Covid, we began thinking about living in Italy and started to plan for our retirement there. We sold our home in Texas in 2020 and moved to Washington again to be with family while we were preparing to move. AdvertisementRetired life in Italy is cheaperGlenda: When we lived in Spokane, Washington, we didn't get to know people that well.

Persons: Glenda, Randy Tuminello, —, Randy, We've, we'd, Covid, It's, we've, I've Organizations: Service, Mare Locations: Italy, Texas, Arkansas , Michigan, Arizona, Oregon , Washington, Arkansas, Sicily, Washington, San Francisco, Polignano, Adriatic, America, Spokane , Washington, Rome

☆ I'm a Gen Zer. We aren't lazy, but 9-to-5s can be a struggle after college during Covid — here's how I've learned to cope.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

My first few weeks of full-time work were tiring. Here is what I've learned about how to cope better and balance life and work while working a 9-to-5. I said to my manager, "I'm coming in early every day, so I'm technically working more hours than in my contract. AdvertisementI personally prefer to go to work early and come home early so I have more time in the evening. Martin said she was arriving at work early, so she asked her manager if she could leave early too.

Persons: —, Ciara Martin, I've, Martin, it's, I'm Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Surrey, England

☆ I'm a tech worker who got laid off twice in a year. I've made good money — but I'm paranoid it will happen again.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Amber Smith, a 27-year-old from Des Moines, Iowa, about getting laid off from two tech job in her 20s. I’ve been laid off in the tech industry twice. I've learned a lot, gained a lot of experience, and made some good money , but I don’t know if I would work in tech forever. Smith started working for a company that did lighting for smart buildings in June 2021. I tried to create a ticket with the tech team but that didn’t work either.

Persons: Amber Smith, she's, —, I’ve, I've, Smith, I’d, Slack, I’m Organizations: Service, eBay, LinkedIn Locations: Des Moines , Iowa, Europe

☆ I quit my corporate job after one year to return to teaching. I feel like I've chosen something I enjoy over long-term financial success.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I grew up in Dallas-Fort Worth and started my first teaching job in Brooklyn when I was 24. AdvertisementI resigned from teaching and took a corporate job as a learning and development consultant. I found a fully remote corporate job at a learning and development consultancy firm that helps other companies with learning initiatives like training. I realized I much preferred teaching students over training adultsI started my new job in August 2022. I've chosen something I enjoy over long-term financial successWhen I decided to accept the teaching job, finances were probably my biggest concern, but I feel that with what I'm making now as a teacher, I'm able to live just fine.

Persons: —, Rachel Volk, I've, Volk, I'd, I'm, you'll Organizations: Service, Business, Fort Worth, Fort, New Locations: Dallas, Brooklyn, Texas, Fort Worth, New York, New York City, New York City and Texas

☆ I'm a 'zillennial' who left the city. I don't like living in the suburbs as a young person, but I plan to stay.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewThis as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Kelsey Lam, a 27-year-old who left Philadelphia to live in the suburbs in 2021. I've lived in the suburbs for three years and would say they don't really cater to my age group. AdvertisementEven going for coffee in the suburbs and in the city are completely different experiences. In the suburbs, I'm getting coffee from chains and the coffee just doesn't feel as unique. AdvertisementIn 2019, I was living in a 550-square-foot studio apartment in the city for around $1,165 a month.

Persons: —, Kelsey Lam, I've, King of Prussia, Kelsey, I'd, Lam, Covid Organizations: Service, Business, Facebook Locations: Philadelphia, Malvern , Pennsylvania, Malvern, Plymouth, Cities, Kelsey Lam, French, Chinatown, King

☆ Splitting the check is no longer restaurant etiquette — in 2024 it's every diner for themself
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Kieran Press-Reynolds | Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Recently, TikTok users have been gaining traction with the idea that people shouldn't feel guilty about paying for their own food and not splitting the check. Diners say splitting the bill can be unfairSome of the recent bill-splitting discourse posts are grouped under the hashtag "groupdinner," which has 9.6 million views. splitting the bill. AdvertisementIn sticking to etiquette norms when paying for one's own meal, it's crucial that guests repay their portion promptly. More than anything, communication between the hosts and guests is essential and can help thwart nightmare bill-splitting mishaps like the ones described in the viral TikTok videos.

Persons: —, @finegalnopimple, TikToker @remiandryan, Nick Leighton, fleeced, Leighton, OnePoll, It's, it'll, it's Organizations: Service, Business, Louisiana Federal Credit Union, New York Times, Forbes Locations: Dutch, Louisiana

☆ 4 of the biggest stereotypes about Americans, debunked by a British woman living in Ohio
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewA British woman who moved to the US says she had many misconceptions about the country until she lived there. Stereotype 1: Americans are lazyIn one video, Hart said there was a misconception that Americans are "lazy people" which she'd found to be "so not true." AdvertisementHart said that contrary to the stereotype that Americans are lazy, she thinks Americans are extremely committed to work. In a January TikTok , Hart also brought up the fact that many Americans don't have passports and are not required to have them to travel between states. AdvertisementIn a post from July 2023, she expanded on the topic of American friendliness while challenging another stereotype that Americans don't like British people.

Persons: —, Millie Hart, Hart, she's, she'd, it's, Ralph Buehler, I've, Hart's Organizations: Service, Business, Fox News, Pew Research Center, Virginia Tech, Forbes, RAC, Walmart, NBC Locations: West Midlands, England, Ohio, America, Britain's

☆ Anne Hathaway is crowned the queen of setting personal boundaries with fans thanks to one viral clip
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A clip of Anne Hathaway appearing to interact with fans wanting a photo has gone viral. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementFans have fallen in love with the way they think Anne Hathaway dealt with people who wanted photos with her in a now-viral clip. Hathaway, like a "gentle parenting" TikTok creator, appears to use calm and direct conversation with the people in the clip to set a personal space boundary with them.

Persons: Anne Hathaway, —, Gonzalez, Hathaway, Robert Irwin, Steve, Hunter, Irwin, Joseph Quinn, Con, Ella Organizations: Service, Netflix, Independent, London Locations: TikTok

☆ A millennial ditched the city and moved to a remote island in Scotland. She's in love with the slower pace of life.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA millennial who left her life in the city to move to a Scottish island is sharing her experience, and the perks of a slower life. 32-year-old Ema Shortel, who moved from Edinburgh, Scotland, to the Isle of Skye in 2020, documents her life on the island on TikTok, where she has over 84,000 followers. By leaving the city, Shortel has opted for a more remote way of life. The Highland council area, where the Isle of Skye is located, has the lowest population density in Scotland, according to its website . AdvertisementIn an email exchange, Shortel told Business Insider that in Edinburgh she worked as a self-employed beauty therapist and her partner was a joiner.

Persons: —, She's, hasn't, Shortel, Frazer Henderson, Henderson Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Scottish, Edinburgh, Scotland, Isle, Skye, TikTok, Shortel, Highland, City

☆ YouTuber Olivia Jade compared her kitchen to a 'prison' after her mom Lori Loughlin was incarcerated over the college admissions scandal
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewYouTube vlogger Olivia Jade Giannulli appeared to make reference her parents' incarceration in her latest video, comparing her kitchen to a prison. Olivia Jade, as she is known professionally, is the daughter of "Full House" actor Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, who were both implicated in the college admissions scandal in 2020. In a January 16 vlog , Olivia Jade shared a clip of herself making breakfast in her kitchen and said she had ordered wallpaper for the room in the hope of transforming its appearance. In 2021, BI reported that Olivia Jade was rebuilding her social media presence , working with brands and posting regularly on YouTube once again. AdvertisementOlivia Jade Giannulli did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Persons: —, Olivia Jade Giannulli, Olivia Jade, Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli, Olivia Jade's, Isabella, Loughlin, Giannulli Organizations: Service, Business, University of Southern, Olivia Jade's YouTube, YouTube Locations: University of Southern California

☆ Step aside 'quiet luxury,' budgeting is cool now
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It's called "loud budgeting." He wasn't explicit about his definition of "loud budgeting," but suggested it involved being vocal with your friends about choosing to live frugally. Battle said on TikTok that loud budgeting was the opposite of "quiet luxury," which blew up in 2023 after also being popular during the Great Recession. AdvertisementBattle said in one of his TikToks that he thought "loud budgeting" was "more chic" and impressive than "quiet luxury," later adding that while quiet luxury is about "idolizing celebrities," who are often associated with the trend, "loud budgeting is about the everyday person." Now, it seems "loud budgeting" may go a step further, redefining success and coolness to mean saving your money, rather than spending it.

Persons: —, It's, Lukas Battle, I've, one's frugality, Libby Brooks, Yuval Shuminer, isn't Organizations: Service, Business, BI Locations: TikTok

☆ Kate Moss' Gen Z sister Lottie Moss just got real about the struggles of life as a 20-something model
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewKate Moss' sister, Lottie Moss, posted a tearful video on TikTok on Monday, saying she's struggled with her mental health for years and doesn't like the person she is. Lottie has previously spoken out about her drug and alcohol use and her negative experiences in the modeling industry . AdvertisementShe also addressed some of her privileges as a model and younger sister to Kate Moss, saying, "You can be grateful and still struggle." She previously said the two weren't particularly close, although in her TikTok video she said her sister had "got me a lot of things."

Persons: —, Kate Moss, Lottie Moss, she's, Lottie, it's, Calvin Klein Organizations: Service, Business, Glamour UK, BBC Locations: tiktok

☆ There's one big unexpected culture shock Americans can't stop talking about when they move to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Americans who've moved to Europe often share the most shocking things about their new environments. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Americans living in Europe sometimes report relatively well-known differences as culture shocks, including siesta culture in Spain, where an afternoon nap is customary, and differences in tipping expectations . But there's at least one slightly more unexpected culture shock that many American expats can't stop talking about — hang drying clothes instead of using electric dryers. Some Americans have also filmed themselves navigating a drying rack, which they said they weren't used to using in the US.

Persons: who've, —, Ruth Schwartz Cowan, Kirstin Munro, Munro Organizations: Service, Housing Survey, Engineering, European Commission, European, University of Pennsylvania, Household Technology, American Technology, BI, New School for Social Research Locations: Europe, Spain, Italy, American, Germany, Latvian, New York

☆ It turns out there are a lot of iconic 2014 moments that turn a decade old soon — and somehow feel like yesterday
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

One TikToker has rounded up some of 2014's biggest moments with a punchy rap. AdvertisementA TikToker's rap going through some of 2014's most viral pop culture and internet moments has many asking the same question: Wait, that was 10 years ago? Related storiesA couple of users seemed to wonder what had become of one the biggest internet stars of the year: Alex from Target. AdvertisementThe star of the meme, Alex Lee, became a cultural sensation when a photo of him went viral on Twitter and won him many adoring fans. Earlier this year, a photo of an old desktop computer went viral on X, leading many users to look back on the way the internet functioned when they were growing up.

Persons: It's, —, Mikey Angelo, Harry Styles, Elon Musk's, Alex, Alex Lee, Lee, he's, Ariana, ellen selfie, Angelo Organizations: Service, Target, Twitter, New York Times

☆ 7 'reverse culture shocks' from Americans returning to the US after living overseas
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Marta Biino | Charissa Cheong | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

People who've returned to the US after spending time abroad are sharing "reverse culture shocks." America's big cars and portion sizes were among the reverse culture shocks mentioned online. But another hugely popular genre on TikTok and other social-media platforms shows us the flip side: the reverse culture shocks some Americans experience after returning to the US from time overseas. AdvertisementThese "reverse culture shocks," as they have been dubbed online, typically based on anecdotal accounts, might serve to showcase some of the unique aspects of US culture, which users forgot about or didn't experience while abroad. Here are seven things about the US that people say have caused reverse culture shock.

Persons: who've, — Organizations: Service Locations: Europe

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