At work, I've been mistaken for a student many times. Instead of trying to seem older, I've leaned in to my youthfulness.

At work, I've been mistaken for a student many times. Instead of trying to seem older, I've leaned in to my youth.

Julie Zhu

• Despite being a professor in my 30s, I've often been mistaken for a student because I look young.
• Although I considered trying to seem older and more mature, I decided to lean into my youthfulness.
• I learned what mattered was the way I felt and how I taught, not whether I looked the part.

When I went to meet the department chair as a freshly hired adjunct last April...