The Stigma of Leaving

When I last wrote, I had been offered a position as a teacher, and jumped at the chance.  It has been the most fulfilling job I have ever had.  I have the chance every day to make a lasting impact on my students.

As I began to tell friends and family of my new career choice, I heard the same phrase over and over again.  “I could never do it.”  When I asked what they meant, they all said that they did not have the patience to write lesson plans, create assignments, and keep a classroom full of teenagers on task all at once.  Moreover, most of the people who said it meant exactly that.  They knew they did not have the time, patience, or skill set to teach a room full of teenagers for eight hours every day.

However, that’s not what I heard.  What I heard was “you’re giving up.”  Everyone who has thought about leaving the academic track has heard the same thing said about countless other people.  “Susan gave up, she’s making a fortune working in law, but what a waste of talent.”

While some of those people may have actually meant that, it doesn’t matter.  There are more Ph.D.s than ever competing for an ever-shallower pool of tenure track faculty positions in traditional academia.  If you find something you love, that will allow you to use your skills and make a decent living, take the opportunity.