Academia is survivor on steroids

Heading to the end of my second full year in academia, I've made some realizations.

1.  Academia is survivor on steroids.  One wrong move and you can get thrown off the island in a matter of seconds.  There are alliances (secret and public) all over the place and after the first year, you have to start networking and figuring out who has power and who has weight.  Everyone is struggling for the same resources and the same money so finding out how to get some of those resources and funding sent toward your department is a strategic nightmare.

2.  The harder you work, the more work you get.  I don't know if that's a bad thing or a good thing.....I supposed it's all about how you get rated on your evaluation.

3.  Bookshelves are a hot commodity.  I don't have enough of them and I don't know anyone around here who does.  I don't know for sure, but I'm thinking they'd be a good bargaining tool.....I might start hoarding them and exchanging them for.....well I don't know what I'd exchange them for.  Classroom space?  Extra ink cartridges?  Chalk?  Haven't figured that part out yet.

4.  Office hours mean nothing.  Students write them down and then promptly lose them.  Or ignore them all together.  And they never work for people......so why do we even schedule them?  It's probably best to say that all office hours are by appointment only.

5.  If we were paid by the hour, we'd all be millionaires.  I don't know exactly how many hours I work each week, but it's somewhere between 50 and 80.  While I'm at school I think I actually get LESS work done than when I'm at home.  The reading, grading, planning, grading, reading, grading, planning, grading, grading, grading, grading, grading usually takes place at home.  How awesome would it be if I actually got paid hourly for all of that?!  And for study abroad?  If we were paid hourly for those 24 hours a day for 5 weeks?  Maybe someday.