It has been one year since I made the change to stop working as a full-time administrator and fundraiser and transition into a full-time faculty member. In looking back on my decision to make this change, I can only breathe a sigh of relief.
I struggled with "the professional" and "the mom" in me. I wanted to do it all, yet I was burning out quickly! It took a lot of soul searching, but I finally realized I needed to make a change. Thank goodness opportunity came knocking right when I needed it!
I now spend 26 hours on campus instead of 40+ (it's the "+" that was challenging the mom in me). I teach classes focused on the law to paralegal and business students; and while there are definitely those who are not always thrilled with my class, those that are make up for the others. I teach between two campuses--one in the city and one in my hometown.
This last quarter I found myself scheduled to teach 4 days a week in the city, with only one night class at my hometown campus. I actually complained that I was tired of the commute! My husband reminded me that just one year earlier I was working well over 40 hours a week, many of those evenings attending events without him, and stressed to the nth degree because of the major fundraising event I was in charge of. Did I actually have the right to complain now? I admit, I was whining! Shame on me was all I could think...and I reminded myself how lucky I was to have found the strength to make the change--and that the college was willing to allow me the opportunity to transition from one position to another.
In the last year I have had the chance to become more involved in my boys' lives in and out of school. And while the mom in me is happy, the professional in me hasn't felt less challenged yet!
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