It's Academic Haiku Time Again. Even Though We Can Barely Stand the Thought Of the Dismay We Will Feel When It Goes Poorly Again.

Today's academic haiku entry is not a haiku. We've discussed this on the site before. When we actually did publish some haiku, not a peep was heard from anyone. Nobody wrote to say, "Now. THAT'S a haiku!" Or: "Thank you for the REAL haiku!" (We really liked the one that started "There is no compound.")

Anyway, we thought academic haiku day would be big. We thought there'd be little parties all across the academy when a new academic haiku came out. But mostly we just heard from folks saying that they weren't real haiku. (And the underlying message always was: "You just aren't good enough. Daddy didn't love you. Mommy only tolerated you. That scar is never going to heal. Your face is too fat, and we don't like the slope of your forehead.")

So, you can tell how hard it has been. But, because we're gluttons for punishment (and margaritas, and Kit Kat bars, etc.) we offer another academic haiku below. Please feel free to crush our remaining trust and hope in humanity. This comes - as you will see - from a grad student trying to sort it all out. Please enjoy the flava:

~~~

graduate student,
sciences,
trying to decide between
academia or industry.

I like teaching,
won an award,
but this semester's students
have me reeling.

So, to you all,
junior professors,
tenured old timers,
and adjuncts:

is it
worth it?