Some other people have responded talking about the essay in general, but I thought I'd try and respond to the specific points that you found confusing with my own interpretation. This is of course subjective. I liked this piece because it gave me food for thought like this.
> But three days into an interview she wanted she seems to have changed her mind?
There are two time periods in this line at once. "I wish I had said" is talking about what she wishes now that she had said to him at the time. The tip off is the "had said" is referring to the time period in which she responds to the dean and is in past tense, and "I wish" is present.
> After that there's an explanation of plots in fairy tales that switches jarringly again into another line I'm not totally sure how to interpret about bread. Its also the title, I expect it to be important.
"Fuck the bread" is literally something her mother said to her, but also subtextually saying "fuck academia" (and maybe even the more broad "fuck societal standards of success"). This is the chain of associations that builds up the metaphor:
1. In fairytales, the characters are given impossible tasks. <List of examples>
2. In the fairytales, completing these tasks defines their worth. Characters who do not complete the tasks drop out of the story.
3. Getting a job in academia requires her to complete a list of impossible tasks. She cannot complete it.
4. Even basic tasks in society are impossible during the pandemic, like bread making. These basic tasks are part of appearing successful.
5. "Fuck the bread" == fuck 3, fuck 4, define yourself outside of impossible tasks and do not be a bit character in a fairytale.
> This I don't really get how she goes from wheat to needing machete to cut it to questioning why they want a job
Given the rest of the piece talking about how working in academia was a useless task, I think this is about wasting her time on something so frivolous instead of her basic needs (bread?). But that does go against the title. I'm comparatively pretty unsure about this association.
> But three days into an interview she wanted she seems to have changed her mind?
There are two time periods in this line at once. "I wish I had said" is talking about what she wishes now that she had said to him at the time. The tip off is the "had said" is referring to the time period in which she responds to the dean and is in past tense, and "I wish" is present.
> After that there's an explanation of plots in fairy tales that switches jarringly again into another line I'm not totally sure how to interpret about bread. Its also the title, I expect it to be important.
"Fuck the bread" is literally something her mother said to her, but also subtextually saying "fuck academia" (and maybe even the more broad "fuck societal standards of success"). This is the chain of associations that builds up the metaphor:
1. In fairytales, the characters are given impossible tasks. <List of examples>
2. In the fairytales, completing these tasks defines their worth. Characters who do not complete the tasks drop out of the story.
3. Getting a job in academia requires her to complete a list of impossible tasks. She cannot complete it.
4. Even basic tasks in society are impossible during the pandemic, like bread making. These basic tasks are part of appearing successful.
5. "Fuck the bread" == fuck 3, fuck 4, define yourself outside of impossible tasks and do not be a bit character in a fairytale.
> This I don't really get how she goes from wheat to needing machete to cut it to questioning why they want a job
Given the rest of the piece talking about how working in academia was a useless task, I think this is about wasting her time on something so frivolous instead of her basic needs (bread?). But that does go against the title. I'm comparatively pretty unsure about this association.