AI isn't a hobby; it's a tool
and other bits of advice for the class of 2025
I’ll always associate May with the end of the school year. Just a few more exams to get through and then the reward of a commencement speech from someone who hopefully has a little more cachet than former Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood.
Some of your classmates may appear to have it all figured out, but it is my solemn annual duty to remind you that they don’t, I still don’t, and those all-powerful octogenarians playing roulette with your parents’ retirement funds sure don’t either.
Here are a few more pieces of unsolicited advice for the class of 2025.
You might think you want a fully remote job because it pays more or offers more flexibility, but you’re going to get more out of an experience that’s grounded in some sort of in-person culture. It’s harder to make an impression through a screen and even harder to learn the tools of the trade.
AI isn’t a hobby; it’s a tool. Given the choice to get a beer with someone who spent their weekend “vibe coding” or someone who pulled on a wetsuit to catch some winter surf, who would you choose?
I’m sorry to report that discipline is as real a difference maker as has been reported, and the older you get, the harder it is to change your habits. You’re probably going to have to learn this one for yourself, but the sooner you get comfortable saying no to other people’s ideas in order to say yes to yours, the easier it will be to follow your dreams.
You’re not going to be friends with all of the same people in 10 years, and that’s ok. Some people are meant to be in your life for a season and some are meant to go the distance. Keep up with the ones who give you energy, the ones you don’t spend enough time with but always find it easy to fall back into conversation with.
Creativity is patient. As you start your career, you may have to put down the pen or the camera or the dance shoes, but as someone who didn't know what I wanted to write about here 4 years ago, only that I would always be a writer, I can tell you that it comes back quickly, and if you do it because it makes you happy, it's not hard to find the time.