Just because YOU don't work hard doesn't mean I DON'T!

I have a friend who loves to throw little jabs at the glamorous life of a college instructor.  He loves to tell me how cushy my life is, how few hours I have to work, how I get my summers off, how flexible my schedule is.  Let's get a few things straight:

1.  My job is not glamorous and I challenge you to find one hard-working lecturer who will tell you that it is.  Perhaps you're not familiar with the hierarchy in academia, but I haven't yet worked my way into a professorship, not to mention a tenure track professorship.  I teach 4 classes each semester, two classes over the summer, and a handful of independent studies for which there is no compensation.  I chair two committees, again for which there is no compensation other than knowing I'm doing a good thing, and coordinate the other Italian instructors.  My office has no windows, always smells a little funny, and has such terrible fluorescent lighting I had to invest in standing lamps so I could avoid the daily migraines.  yup, super glamorous!

2.  Ok, yes, perhaps I do only officially teach 13 hours per week.  But the planning, grading, grading, grading, grading, planning, grading definitely puts me way up over 40 hours each week.  I'm in the office 6 days a week and I take my work home with me every night.

3.  I don't get summers off.  I'm either leading a study abroad, which is WAY more work than you can imagine.  Try teaching six credits in five weeks while acting as mommy, counselor, taxi driver, tour guide, and academic counselor to 30 students.  It's a workout!

As for flexibility, yes I do have more flexibility than most and for that I'm thankful.  But listen, I work hard, and while it was funny for a while, the joke has run its course.  I like my job and it is hard work, but having to defend it constantly is exhausting, so please understand when I start ignoring your jabs.  Please and thank you.