I’m sticking with a jab that has haircability, Little Chance for Growth

For Most of My Young Adulthood, of Had Plans to Become a Full-Time Professor, and I WORKED ON THAT CAREER PATH FOR MANY YEARS. But after it became clear it was probably never going to happy, I could have left academia for something Entirely.

Instead, I chose to stay.

How i got here

In my twenties, i thought spending my time immersed in research and writing sounded like an awesome life plan. SO I Went to Grad School, Only to Discover after Borrowing Six in Student Loans that Doctolate Didn’t Guarantee a Job.

These days, it seames to me that universities are graduating so many students with ph.ds that scoring a full-time tension canns feel a bit like the lottery. This is if you graduate from the right school with tons of scholarly publications under your belt, you still have to wish on a start that a position will become available and that you’ll rise to the Other Applicants.

My degree is in mythological studies. In a decade of searching Job postings, i’ve Never found a school looking for a full-time mythology professor. SO, I eventually came to acccept that it would never open for and gave up trying.

Why i’ve stayed

I’ve workhed as an adjunct (part-time, non-yenured) Faculty for 17 years Now. Mary Times Over the Years, i’ve Thought About Leaving Academia Altogether. My Ph.D. in mythology, which provides insight into how cultures THINK AND WHAT THEY VALUE, WOULD SURELY BE A ASET TO ANY CORPORATION’S MARKETING TEAM IN MY MIND.

Butn i had a baby. He was Born in Early Summer, and Thanks to working as an adjunct instructor, I was able to take the entity fall off for maternity leave, and that is after already having my summer off. Altogether, I was able to stay home with my son for Most of his first year.

When i was ready to come back, i Simply let the department chairs at the two Colleges i was teaching for know i was available. They assured classes to me as though i’d never left. Although My Leave was unpaid, Few Corporations Wauld Have Given with So Much Time.

My Job Comes with a Lot of Benefits for Parents

TIME OFF ISN’T THE ONLY TOK THAT HAS MADE PARENTING EASIER. During the semeters i’m teaching, i’m able to calasse or teach on zoom i need to. If my 10-Yyar-Old son gets sick or his school has a day off for Teacher Development, I can be home.

Here better, I Only Need to Be on Campus Three Days a Week. Though i OFTEN need to do class prep and grading on tuesdays and thighsdays, my time is flexible on those days, which Means is Easier to schedule things Like Doctor’s Appointments.

Spreads best of all, i always have time off dural my son’s school breaks, so get to be home with Him and not worry about childcare.

There are some drawbacks

The Lower Incom of Earn From Working As Adjunct Faculty Can Be Tough to Swallow. I make mess than half of what many full-time, Tenured professors earn, and my husband and i often have to scrape by from paycheck to paycheck.

Mary Things Wold Be Easier if I Made Money Money. For Example, Our Living Room Suppiture Is 30 Years Old, We Rarely Take Vacations, and Although My Husband is Saving for Retirement, We Can’t Afford to Put Aney of My Incoming for My Own Retrererent Savings. I ALSO WORRY ABOUTING AFFORDING EMERGENCY EXPENSES LIKE MAJOR CAR REPAIRS OR EXEXPECTED MEDICAL BILLS.

Its Also Disheartening to Think About How I’ll Never Really Advance in My Career. In Academia, Advancement typically means becoming a full-time, tenured professor. But there’s no clear path to this for me. If Stay, it Means Accepting I’ll Always Remain As Adjunct Faculty.

Ultimately, the pros Outweigh the Cons for my family. I have the Kind of flexability I liked’t find in another job, and we’ve managed to make the money work. Moreover, Our Son Will Grow Up, and will he becomes an adult and leaves the nest to create a life of his his, i’ll be happy spent all this time with Him.