Money in the Bank?

In some ways being an adjunct is a bit transactional. A school has a need for an instructor, we step up to the challenge. Hiring generally happens quickly, almost an afterthought when classes are oversubscribed after registration. Our footprint on campus is fairly modest because we aren't there all the time. Our impact is what we make it.

If you ask a dozen adjunct instructors why they do it, you will likely receive a dozen different answers. We all teach for specific reasons; in my experience the reasons change with the seasons and I've talked a bit about how teaching has changed for me through the decades. The further I go in my career, the more I realize that the return on the time investment from teaching can be priceless.

Sure, adjuncting is a fun side hustle. You will never hear me say that I didn't welcome the extra money in my household budget. If you're any sort of professional considering aduncting, teaching won't drastically change your financial picture, but the personal satisfaction of knowing the money you earn comes from a commitment to higher learning is pretty amazing. I don't know many side hustles that do that.

It's also an antidote to the temptation to coast. Even before the term "quiet quitting" rolled through business media post-pandemic, there was quiet quitting happening. Who hasn't spent a few minutes standing near the coffee machine or water cooler griping about deadlines, underfunded projects, office politics? Those things exist everywhere. As long as there have been offices, there has probably been quiet quitting. And yes, we are all guilty of it from time to time. Adjuncting has always reminded me that whatever pressures exist at work there is a space I can go to be the best version of myself.

I get a lot of energy from the classroom. Just this week, I found myself a little frustrated as I drove to class. I was in glass-half-empty mode, feeling lacking in creativity and blocked by factors beyond my control. In fact, I was so low energy walking from the parking deck, I began to wonder if I should even teach that day. And then something magical happened after I entered the classroom.

My slides went up on screen, and I started to walk through the lecture notes. Gradually I moved away from the podium and became more expressive with my remarks, my hand gestures and body language. I began a verbal serve-and-volley with class, as I often do and the more I encouraged them to share feedback and question the day's topics, the more energized I became. I could almost feel the stress leaving me, replaced by an amazing peaceful energy. I think it's what people call "flow".

So will adjuncting make you rich? No. Will adjuncting fill your cup? Absolutely yes, if you let it. And that for me, is as good as money in the bank.

PS: we are nearing the end of a semester and that's when adjunct spots often materialize. If you're considering it, and have questions, please reach out!