I wondered if this is what it felt like in the ’90s: thinking, letting random thoughts wander, and feeling curious in a way I’d forgotten. Now, I feel bored and attentive all at once—and I giggle at the funny, everyday moments I used to miss.

We often associate conducting research with the fact that we must discover something groundbreaking, show the wider world some previously unknown truth. Of course you can do that, but you can only explore for your own satisfaction, for expanding your knowledge, for stimulating your brain and reminding it that you are an independent, thinking person... See more