For our third date, we spent 12 hours hiking. It was way better than dinner, and we're still together 2 years later.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
Man and woman in desert area on hike
Our third date involved a wild, 12-hour hike. It helped us connect on a deeper level and test our compatibility.

Eibhlis Gale-Coleman

I lived abroad by myself when I was 22. I wish I'd waited until I was older.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The writer posing in front of a building and tiled floor in Morocco.
captionTK

Syeda Khaula Saad

We left New York City for the Connecticut suburbs. Our family gained way more than square footage, but it cost us a lot.

Tech Insider : Business
Aerial view of houses in fall in New England
Although moving from New York City to Connecticut's suburbs has come with drawbacks, it's also brought several benefits.

Michael Warren/Getty Images

I moved from a major US city to a Canadian town with under 3,000 people. I thought I'd be lonely, but I've never been happier.

Tech Insider : Business
The writer's brother driving her from Houston to Canada, with a dog visible in the backseat.
captionTK

Ashley Johnson

My husband and I started doing adult paint-by-numbers to get off our phones. The hobby's benefited us more than we expected.

Tech Insider : Business
Woman and man smiling in front of bookshelves
My husband and I have been working on paint-by-numbers together to stay off of our phones.

Tawnya Gibson

I watched my daughter win Olympic gold. There's a lot no one sees on TV, but it was the experience of a lifetime.

Tech Insider : Business, Style
The author, second from left, posing with her family after her daughter's Olympic gold medal win.
I supported my daughter at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where she won a gold medal.

Nancy Jorgensen

After I graduated from college, I realized I needed a 'third place' to stay sane and social. A new hobby helped me find it.

Tech Insider : Business
The author posing in a garden.
Ballet has become a great third place for me, beyond home and work.

Rachel Bernstein

My husband and I got sick of boring nights of dinner and a movie. We got our spark back with monthly 'adrenaline dates.'

Tech Insider : Business
A woman and her husband in protective gear at a reck room.
My husband and I got sick of boring dates. Now, we seek adrenaline on our monthly date nights.

Dakota Kim

I moved from New York City to Charlotte for a better quality of life. I didn't expect to feel so lonely.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
Elizabeth stands near a sign that says
I moved south to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a better quality of life.

Elizabeth Wright

Our new neighbors helped us during an emergency. Now, 6 years later, they're like grandparents to our children.

Tech Insider : Business
The writer's kids and neighbors posing together in her living room.
captionTK

Emily Holi

Subscribe to personal-essay