Spring Break - Continued

Despite my earlier post, Spring Break is not all fun and games for faculty. We have grading to do, papers to write, journal articles to review, grants applications to submit, and miscellaneous (and totally unnecessary) committee and service work to do.

On the plus side, we can do all this when and where we want. At home in sweats with either a cup of coffee or a beer, depending on the time of day, is my preferred dress code, time and place, and beverage of choice.

That's a synopsis of faculty life in general (excluding, of course, regularly scheduled classes and assorted administrative nonsense). Even when classes are in session it still beats the corporate world. I took a 30% pay cut when I transitioned from corporate America to academic America. I also work approximately the same number of hours - anywhere from 40 to 60 per week, depending on what's going on.

There is still administrative and bureaucratic b.s. to put up with, and academic politics make corporate politics tame by comparison. An old saying goes "Politics in academia are so vicious because the rewards are so small." I'm here to testify that there's a lot of truth in that.

Still, my schedule is pretty flexible (outside of the aforementioned classes). I traded in my suit and tie for my standard teaching uniform of khakis and Hawaiian shirts. Students can be a pain, but it's also incredibly fulfilling when you have kids that really want to learn, and when you see the light come on over their heads when they get it. And I'm much more relaxed and less stressed-out. I also get to spend more time with my wife and kids. So all in all, I'm glad I made the move.

As one of my mentors said, "The three best things about the academic lifestyle are June, July, and August."

And speaking of Spring Break, it is Spring Break, Hump Day, and St. Patrick's Day. Somewhere out there a beer is calling me...