Why 5e Is (probably) Not For Me

Unless something changes, I'm afraid I'm running my last (indeed, only) 5e campaign. Like 4e before it, I have concluded that this edition just isn't for me. Unlike with 4e, though, the reason for this isn't a distaste for the game, which I actually like a great deal, but is instead due to a structural issue in the game itself.

5e is balanced using the concept of an "adventuring day" - the idea is that the party would face 4-6 encounters and then take a long rest, which effectively resets them back to full health. Which is absolutely fine. However, crucially, it's fairly inelastic when it comes to those encounters; although there can be some variation, shifting much beyond those bounds, especially by using fewer, bigger encounters is problematic.

At the same time, we play with a schedule of one 3-hour game session per month. Which is also fine - it's a schedule that works reasonably well, and although I'd never claim it as the "best" schedule (since I don't think that's a meaningful concept), it's fine for what we want.

So far, so good. But...

With only one session a month, it's really not ideal to have to carry state data across from one session to the next - it's far better if the PCs can start each session with a clean slate as far as hit points, spells expended, and the like are concerned. Ideally, then, each session would be a single "adventuring day" - indeed, a structure where one session was one 'day' would be perfect for us.

5e would therefore be a perfect fit... except that the built-in adventuring day doesn't fit in the session length that we have. And try as I might, I just don't see a way to make it fit - even running four encounters in three hours is a tight sqeeze, and that's if everything outwith those encounters is excised, leaving virtually no room for roleplay, exploration, or storytelling (none of which are suitable sacrifices).

Sadly, I don't see a way to square that circle. I'll keep an eye on it, because it's not impossible that a solution will present itself, and I don't intend to just drop the campaign unless and until it becomes unworkable.

But if things stay as they are, this is the end. A shame.