#professorlife

For context: I graduated from college in 2018 with a degree in English Lit and a minor in Film and Media Studies that’s launched me into a career in marketing and social media. I have found that career path unfulfilling and on many days rather soul sucking.

I have always wanted writing to be a big part of my work, but still haven’t nailed down a specific path I wanted to take. Screenwriting and novel writing have been the main avenues that have appealed to me, but I haven’t made any large strides in either. Recognizing that big strides in either of those careers takes time, I feel like the marketing day job is slowly killing my creativity and my academic ability, making it harder and harder to pursue those passions on the side.

I miss being in an academic setting where I am challenged, inspired, and working on things that I find genuinely worthwhile. My time in the corporate world has me considering going back to school and maybe even pursuing a career in academia. I’m nervous to take that path for a few different reasons and would love some insight from this community, on top of my own personal research, as I think about this career switch!

As I said, I feel as though my creativity and academic ability have been negatively impacted by my years out of school which has me questioning if I’d be able to keep up in (or even be accepted into) a competitive program. I’m also not sure which lane I’d like to work in most. Classics? Romantics? Victorian Era? Modern? Comparative Lit? Creative Writing? Taught vs. Research programs? It all intrigues me and I didn’t really have a specialization in college. Is there anything specific you would recommend doing to brush up on skills? Particular online courses or exercises to do? Tricks to figure out which area of literature you are most passionate about? 

I’ve also heard a lot of people who are pursuing careers as professors are struggling to find work, especially that pays well enough to live on. My current work is fairly stable and well paying, which I’m undeniably grateful for, especially now, even if it is unfulfilling. Any advice or insight into what it’s really like out there looking for work as a professor, especially in English, or even what day to day life is like as a professor would be helpful! Of course I have this idealized version of the work in my mind, but I’d like to know more about the reality of it before uprooting my life.

I’ve had my eye on University of Edinburgh as my top choice should I decide to go back to school, so any insight into their program would be great! I’m also very open to hearing about other grad programs, especially in the UK/Europe. I’m working on saving up for the whole process, but financial insights other than tuition costs would also be fantastic. General cost of living, what it’s like trying to work on a visa while studying, all that kind of information would be helpful.