The term ends. Eca is totally exhausted. She feels disenfranchised by the lack of support and the unreasonable expectations and pressures she's been forced through. She, yet again, questions her career choice.
Now the summer is here she needs to focus on her research - 2 months to achieve a year's worth of expectations before the next teaching term begins….but wait her email is already filling with requests for next year's teaching admin….
Now the summer is here she needs to focus on her research - 2 months to achieve a year's worth of expectations before the next teaching term begins….but wait her email is already filling with requests for next year's teaching admin….
Through pure stubbornness, Eca has made it this far. She feels more alone than ever before but loves her research and teaching. For now she decides to continue. She knows she will feel better after seeing her friends and international colleagues over the summer…Bring on field sites, travel, conferences and workshops!
Eca would like to thank you for joining her on her journey. She would like to invite you to watch this space for the next round of choose-your-own adventures.
Note: The author loves her research, teaching, writing (obviously since she found time to write this!) and mentoring her team (at least she hopes that's how they see it!). But some days are genuinely difficult, as I'm sure others will agree. This fictitious story reflects the emotional roller coaster and battle with self-doubt rather than specific details. The author knows some aspects will ring true to other early career academics and it is her hope that others will empathise with the story, and will see they are not alone in this uncertain, high-pressured world.