• When I was younger, I dreamed of becoming a full-time professor. • That job doesn't seem like it's in the cards for me, but I'm staying put as an adjunct professor. • The position offers flexibility and ample time off, which is something I value as a working parent.

For most of my young adulthood, I 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 happen, I could have left academia for something else 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 figures in student loans that a doctorate didn't guarantee a j

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