‘There’s a Whole Bunch of Academics Walking Around, Feeling Alone’

By Stacey Patton - Chronicle Vitae. People have this impression that I have a full life. I have a Type A personality, I’m pursuing my Ph.D., I travel, I stay active. But I recognize that I do all this because I don’t want to be one of those people that sits around wallowing in my sadness. I’m good at masking the reality of my loneliness. I keep moving and try to fill that void of not being in a relationship with other stuff. I spend 99 percent of my time alone. To be without someone holding your hand, to go without a kiss, without physical and emotional contact, is devastating. There’s a whole bunch of us academics walking around feeling alone. Being a single academic is an issue I’ve been grappling with for a very long time. See more...