A common horror story is the lack of job security. Adjuncts are usually hired on a semester - by - semester basis. So, they never know if they'll have a job next term. I knew an adjunct who was let go right before a semester started just because the enrollment numbers weren't as high as expected. It was really unfair as they had already prepared their courses.
One horror story is the overwork. Adjunct professors often have to teach multiple classes at different institutions just to make ends meet. They get little time for prep and grading. For example, an adjunct might teach four or five courses a semester, each with different syllabi and requirements. It's a nightmare of juggling.
The pay situation can also be a horror story. Adjunct professors are notoriously underpaid. Some are paid so little per course that it's barely enough to cover basic living expenses. They may not even be eligible for benefits like health insurance. It's a struggle for them to survive financially while trying to do a good job in teaching.
In some cases, adjuncts' contracts may not be renewed due to academic politics. Maybe a new dean wants to bring in their own people or there's a shift in the department's focus. An adjunct who has been teaching successfully for years could suddenly find themselves out of a job without much explanation, all because of these internal political games.
One example could be 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a short but intense horror story where the narrator's madness over the old man's 'vulture - like' eye drives him to murder and then he is haunted by the sound of the dead man's heart. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' which has an air of mystery and horror as a family makes wishes on a cursed paw with dire consequences. And 'The Yellow Wallpaper' can also be considered, as the slow descent into madness of the female protagonist in the room with the hideous wallpaper is quite terrifying.
Adjunct horror stories are appealing because they allow us to experience fear in a safe way. We can read about terrifying situations and monsters without actually being in danger. It's like a rollercoaster ride for our emotions.
One professor horror story could be a professor who is extremely strict about deadlines and gives no leniency. For example, a student was in the hospital due to an emergency and couldn't submit an assignment on time. The professor refused to accept it late and gave a zero, even though the student had valid proof of the situation.
Some law professors are just so disorganized. They don't follow the syllabus, jump from topic to topic randomly in lectures, and expect students to keep up. This makes it difficult for students to study effectively as they don't know what to focus on. Also, it can lead to confusion during exams as the exam might cover things that were barely discussed in class.
An adjunct novel is often a book that is related to a main work in some way. For example, it could be a spin - off novel that takes a secondary character from a popular series and gives them their own story. It might expand on the world or events of the original work, but not be the central part of the main narrative.
A college professor horror story that comes to mind is one who had a very biased grading system. He favored students who shared his same views and would give them much higher grades than those who had different opinions. This was really unfair for those students who were trying hard but had different academic perspectives.
Probably the most common is the unfair grader. Some professors grade based on personal feelings rather than the actual quality of work.
Sure. A common one is the professor who is always late for class but never allows students to be late. This shows a lack of respect for the students' time. Another is the professor who changes the course syllabus halfway through the semester without any prior notice, causing chaos for students who were planning their study schedules based on the original one.
A big problem can be the power imbalance. Professors have authority over students' academic progress. For example, if a relationship sours, a professor might give a bad reference or a lower grade out of spite. It's a real horror for a student who has worked hard.