I’ve always loved finding stuff. As a little girl, it was nearly impossible to get me to come inside. In the springtime, as soon as the sun came up, I would be outside with a bucket, head to the ground, searching for “treasures.” Those “treasures” included rocks, sticks, leaves, acorns, slugs, frogs, and (if it was a good day) a salamander. I would turn over every rock to make sure I didn’t miss a thing. Once my collection felt complete, I would pour it out proudly and sort t

I love being a college professor. But you know what I hate? When I fail my students. I once had a student receive an incredible job offer from the Fortune 500 company of her dreams. But there was just one caveat...she would have to relocate to a new city where she didn’t know a single person. She enthusiastically accepted. One day after class, we were chatting about her upcoming move when she asked, “Do you have any advice on how to make friends after college?” I paused, then

Picture this with me. It’s a Wednesday morning in mid-January, and you’re 9 years old. You hear a snowplow’s wheels crunching over the snow-covered road outside your bedroom window. You sit up, making sure you’re not still dreaming, and then cautiously peek through the blinds to see if it is what you think it is...a snow day. The stillness, sparkling treetops, and now-deserted busy street confirm that your wish came true. It’s a snow day! Now, depending on the type of 9-year-