Please. What a ridiculous thread. Unhappy with your level of compensation? It's not like the pay rates weren't posted prior to you accepting the job. Disappointed with the endless nights in hotel rooms? It's not like you didn't know prior to getting into this that there would be endless nights in the hotel room.

Are there things that blow about this job? Absolutely. Are we (FO's) underpaid? Probably could make that argument, epsecially for 1st year guys. But we all knew full on well what we were getting into, at least I'd hope. Like others have said, no one is forcing you to do this. Happiness is a choice, independent of circumstances.

Newbies: 1st year checks will be small and you will question, at some point, your life decisions, including the one you made when you signed up for flight school. Push through that, learn what you can from the CA's, and live below your means. Get a hobby for the road trips. Explore. Exercise. If you just sit in the hotel room and watch TV, you'll probably end up hating life and wishing, like the OP wrote, that you worked at McDonald's. Just know that virtually any airport worker would gladly swap seats with you in a cocaine heartbeat. Be grateful, and try to enjoy the ride. I believe, and some may call my crazy, that this can be the greatest job in the world.

Good luck and hopefully youll be off airport reserve soon enough.