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‘Keep Moving, Even When the Path Is Steep’: Lessons from the Hill

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In the decades since I graduated, I’ve realized that Cornell taught me things I never expected—from resilience to deep listening

“Chime In” comprises brief first-person essays by Cornellians. Do you have a topic in mind? Email us at cornellians@cornell.edu!

Rachel Krug ’04

I arrived in Ithaca believing that college would prepare me for a career—idealistically, one where I could make a discovery that would change the world. I did not realize that, in addition to my education, Cornell would prepare me to navigate ambiguity, build resilience, and remain confident under pressure.

In one of my freshman writing seminars, for example, I walked in with a paper on women in science that I felt proud of. I had worked hard on the argument and believed it held together. As soon as other people started sharing their stories, however, my confidence started to wobble.

A classmate pointed out that the claims in my essay extended beyond what my evidence supported. The professor circled a paragraph and asked whether I had moved too quickly from observation to conclusion.

I remember feeling exposed, like a very small fish in a very big pond. I also remember going back to my dorm and looking up how to transfer to another college.

However, I soon got used to a pattern that repeated itself across seminars, then semesters, then years: I’d write a first draft, receive constructive criticism, and revise it.

I remember feeling exposed, like a very small fish in a very big pond. I also remember going back to my dorm and looking up how to transfer to another college.

Soon enough, I realized that with each version, my work improved. And, over time, I learned to separate my ideas and homework from my identity. Revising my thinking strengthened my work and challenged me to perform at my best.

Years later, as a business executive leading a cross-functional team, I found myself in a room where my strategy and vision documents were challenged line by line. I had to absorb objections, respond with curiosity, and clarify trade-offs with as much data and foresight as possible.

Cornell had already trained that muscle: I knew I could revise and enhance my work without losing my confidence.

Rachel Krug at the Lab of Ornithonlogy, standing in from of a painting that makes her appear to have black and white wings — The author at the Lab of Ornithology.

As a sociology major, I remember working on a research project where I expected to find that widows living at home would be better off than those living in a senior housing facility. The theory made sense, but the results I expected didn’t show up in the data.

Sure, I could have tried to twist the data to make it fit, or collected more—but I decided to stick with the facts as they were. That decision felt technical at the time; in hindsight, it was deeply ethical, requiring both humility and a willingness to do the right thing.

During the early days of the pandemic, I led a team of sales development representatives, account executives, and marketers. Within days, we were instructed to take our monitors and chairs home and get ready to work remotely for the foreseeable future.

Over time, I learned to separate my ideas and homework from my identity. Revising my thinking strengthened my work and challenged me to perform at my best.

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I updated my revenue projections overnight. My emotions, as well as those of my direct reports and peers, were intense. Some team members were dealing with personal losses. The data we all had was incomplete and confusing, and changed every day.

The muscle I relied on was the same one I’d developed during my time as an undergraduate research assistant. I resisted the urge to stick to an old theory about how a revenue team should work and where a business should operate, and instead approached everything with a fresh perspective.

My Cornell classes almost always required participation, and in many, it made up 20% of my grade; they were full of debate, disagreement, group projects, and peer insights. To really understand different viewpoints, I had to listen closely.

Rachel Krug (right) with a classmate standing in front of a red Cornell University background — At a meeting of the Cornell Association of Class Officers, and at a CAU summer acting class.

Rachel Krug (seated at right) with a professor and members of an acting class — At a meeting of the Cornell Association of Class Officers, and at a CAU summer acting class.

I discovered that disagreement is an opportunity to improve my thinking. This became essential to my leadership—being able to listen to all points of view before making a decision.

As a business operator, I rely on listening every day. When engineers explain constraints, sales representatives describe buyer hesitation, or customers share product feedback, I listen intently, ask questions, and ponder what their responses mean without jumping to conclusions or deciding on next steps.

It’s true that trust and friendship grow when people feel heard. Cornell gave me plenty of practice in staying present during conversations with different perspectives and no clear right answer.

And Cornell offered lessons beyond the classroom. The hills are steep. The wind is fast. Winter lasts longer than you think it will.

I discovered that disagreement is an opportunity to improve my thinking. This became essential to my leadership—being able to listen to all points of view before making a decision.

I learned to dress in layers, and accept that some days needed more effort just to make it to class than others. Complaining did not flatten the incline. Preparation and persistence mattered more.

Years later, I relied on that steadiness when a security breach disrupted the product I managed. The situation escalated quickly. Customers lost access. Leaders wanted answers. The technical details were complex and incomplete.

Yet, I stayed calm, gathered facts, and focused on clear communication. I accepted that the conditions were hard and moved forward, step by step. Thankfully, we diagnosed the issue and got our product back online.

Cornell taught me to keep moving even when the path is steep. I learned that effort compounds, preparation matters, and a calm presence and steady movement forward are what life is all about.

Arts & Sciences alum Rachel Krug ’04 is the vice president of sales at Eyes On Eyecare; she previously worked at the health-tech company Virtual Field and at Bulletin, the online wholesale marketplace. She holds an MBA from NYU.

(All images provided.)

Published April 27, 2026