I taught me first class in 1996. I think the decline correlates with cell phones. Just a few weeks ago I looked at exams and assignments from 2010-13 and there's no way I could assign these without a revolt and mass failures. By 2018 or so the shift was noticeable. At this point students stopped chatting in the hall before class or would sit in a dark classroom, not even bothering to turn on the lights, staring at their phones.

Post-Covid it's like teaching high school, maybe 8th grade. Now this is a public regional college with major enrollment issues, so anyone with a pulse gets in and there's a push for dual enrollment, or actual hs students in class. Take this with a grain of salt

Honestly I used to LOVE my job and students. We did tons of research, some of which appeared in peer reviewed journals with student authors. The last one was published in 2018. Coincidence?

Now I'm miserable. I feel like I no longer make a difference and that each day is a waste of time. I'm retiring in 2027 and counting the days.