Make a Little Trouble Out There

From the legendary Nora Ephron, her Wellesley commencement speech printed for the first time in book form—an inspiring and delightful challenge for anyone uncertain about what their future holds to “be the heroine of your own life.”

Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there.

In 1996, just as she was breaking through as a screenwriter and director after a storied career as a journalist, Nora Ephron addressed graduates at her alma mater and gave what would become one of the most iconic commencement speeches of the 20th century. As a woman who insisted on charting her own path despite all its unexpected twists and turns, she had plenty of hard-won advice to offer: “Don’t be frightened: you can always change your mind. I know: I’ve had three careers and four husbands.” Ephron wants us to stay curious, to welcome the mess, to seize the opportunities when they come. Most importantly, she delivers a powerful call-to-action that feels as necessary now as it did then: never back down from those who seek to disenfranchise you, and always stand up for what’s right.

Life is complicated, but if you embrace it, Ephron reminds us, it will always be interesting.