Way back in the day, I wanted to run track in college. I visited IU and talked with an assistant track coach, and he told me something I’ll never forget. “College has three parts,” he said. “Academics, athletics, and social life.” He looked at me. “Pick two.”

I wish there was a coach for new academics. It would have saved me a lot of time and fretting if someone would have taken me aside a few years ago and told me that this life has three parts: Teaching, writing, and administrative work. 

Pick two.