The Bachelorette 's Michelle Young Tearfully Says She Quit Teaching After Being in 'Survival Mode' for 2 Years

The Bachelorette's Michelle Young Tearfully Says She Quit Teaching After Being in 'Survival Mode' for 2 Years
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Michelle Young announced that she will not return to the classroom for the upcoming school year.

On Tuesday's episode of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, the former Bachelorette, 28, opened up her decision to "step out of the classroom" and how her experience over the last two years made her realize she needed to reevaluate her career.

"I was sitting down with my coworker and we were just kinda talking about this school year and how long we've been in survival mode, and my coworker kinda just asked me, 'Well Michelle how long have you been in survival mode?'" she shared. And as she asked that, it kinda caught me off guard to actually stop and think how long I have been this position, and my response was two years."

RELATED: Bachelorette Michelle Young on Juggling Teaching with the Show — and What Her Students Know About It

The reality star went to explain the struggles she has faced as a teacher during the pandemic — while she was also adjusting to life after her season of The Bachelorette. (She got engaged to fiancé Nayte Olukoya on the season finale, which aired in December 2021.)

Related video: Michelle Young says she falls 'more in love every day' with Nayte Olukoya

"I've been in this survival mode two years, where I have just been flying by the seat of my pants, but really, not necessarily living or just surviving with the pandemic, with going through these crazy but awesome changes as the show, with getting a fiancé," she said. "There is just so much going on, and as I kinda sat and thought about that and thought about the position that I'm, in it really just highlighted the fact that there's so much going on with our education system."

RELATED: Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya Make History as The Bachelorette's First Couple of Color

Young tearfully revealed her plans to leave teaching.

"I really feel that, you know, as I move into this next year, I have decided to step out of the classroom," she explained. "Bear with me here. This going to be emotional so I have decided to step out of the classroom."

However, Young has left the door opened to return to teaching in the future.

"This doesn't mean I'm never going to step back in the classroom," she shared. "This doesn't necessarily mean that I'm not going to continue working towards a Masters in Administration and potentially get back into that direct line of education."

She continued, "But it's me stepping away for a year to truly capitalize and push forward and put all my energy and efforts into my passion in a different way and really truly try to push for that change because staying in the classroom and seeing and feeling that weight just shows me that something has to be done."

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In 2021, Young previously opened up about leading a "double life" as a television personality and teacher the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast.

"Lesson planning in the hair and makeup chair on your way to the premiere brunch — it's this total double life I feel like I'm living right now," she said at the time. "It's busy, it's hectic, I'm definitely tired but I will say that being back in the classroom has made me feel so much like myself."

"It's nice because as you both know this world can get kind of overwhelming at times," she added. "It can get a lot and sometimes you just need to be able to put it down and I feel like being in the classroom, being with my students, when I'm there I'm truly Ms. Young."