I got asked by students to be hooding faculty for my law school's graduation. I've gotten to do a lot of cool things, but to me this ranks among the coolest. I'm a first-gen college grad (and a high school dropout) so validation in the world of academia is hard to come by.

A couple of takeaways from my improbable tenure: if you take a genuine interest in students as human beings, they notice it. And if you let them in on some of your vulnerabilities, it makes them feel like they trust you and that they can accomplish more than they thought.

As someone who has taught in some capacity for most of my life (I was a music teacher for a decade before law school), we often start off with a sense that we have to appear invincible at all times. Cut the bullshit, admit to some foibles, forgive, and students will listen.

Also: 20+ years of adult life can (and probably should) take you to strange places. Make a bucket list with lots of blank spaces & don't rule anything out. Again, I'm a high school dropout turned law prof. I have a book deal. I also opened for Styx once. Also that SCOTUS thing.

Finally, in my observation and experience, anyone with a shred of humility will always always always always always always and forever feel just a little bit like an impostor, no matter what. That's normal and you've got to learn to live with that taste in your mouth.

Anyway, students: I friggin' love you all. Thanks for the tremendous honor of letting me teach you a few parlour tricks. And thanks for asking me to partake in a weird ceremony where we dress up in robes and cords and pretend to strangle each other with bolts of fabric.