I ask this question because I am starting to notice that, among colleagues and the various forums I frequent, there is little humor. I am not saying I am a funny person or that I am qualified to determine what is funny, but it seems to me that many in higher education don’t see the humor in… anything.

Here at Romulus University, I can understand why the humor died. The morale is so low that it is subterranean. Many faculty and staff have that look of defeat that is all the rage right now. None of the faculty smiles or remotely looks happy. Now, that could be because we are all arriving for a faculty meeting, but even after they leave, they look depressed. Of course, this perspective could be from the notion that I only see some of these people at those meetings. Nobody likes going to meetings that should be emails, but this is the line of work we chose. If you are the type of person who likes department meetings, might I recommend a good therapist to you?

As for the online forums I hang around, it feels like nobody is ever happy. Every thread and post is just a rant about the latest instance of student laziness or inability to do a simple task. I rarely see joy in any of the posts. Even in the posts marked as funny, there’s little mirth. It makes me wonder, why are we here if we are miserable? Do we find any redeeming quality in what we do?

It seems like the closest thing to funny I read now is when students make comments that reflect a difference in age and perspective. While there is humor in the fact that kids say the darndest things, where is the biting satire about campus struggles? PhD Comics was a great piece to read while I was in grad school, but why isn’t there anything out there about life after getting hooded? Aside from a random meme here and there, I have not seen much at all.

I think we need content like that. We need something that pokes fun at the absurdities we face regularly in higher education. Why doesn’t it exist? Is it because what we do is too niche? Are we all too busy with committees, grading, and research articles to even bother?

That is where my material comes in. I have had a habit since my youth to find humor in some of my darkest times. I can’t take things too seriously, or I would become an emotional wreck. Even though I am looking at all my options now that I am back on the job market, I won’t let myself stress out over the hunt. I have to maintain my humor. Even while I search for a new gig,

I am finding novel and absurd things in the job postings and interviews that give me a chuckle.
What do I know anyway? My next job could be another clown show. Good thing I never got rid of my red nose or big shoes.