We recently enjoyed a memorable dinner with 10 members of the Bowdoin College Class of 2020. Toward the end of the evening, one of them said, “You’ve been around a long time. What one piece of advice do you have for us?”

I gave my go-to answer whenever asked this question. “Don’t be afraid to take risks.” For example, have the courage to change careers. As it happened, one of the young men at the dinner had already taken that step. He had left a good job with a major bank to go work in a restaurant because he’d always loved cooking. Today, he’s managing that restaurant, and he plans to open his own place soon.

I used to do “mock interviews” for the Office of Career Exploration and Development at Bowdoin, and I’d sometimes encourage students to be active, not passive, when being interviewed. Ask the interviewer, “How did you get into the field?” and “What are your biggest challenges and rewards?” And so on. (Hint: Everyone likes to talk about themselves.) One young woman I interviewed remained very serious until the end when she flashed a big smile. I said, “Wait. You have a beautiful smile. Don’t hide it.” She later told someone that that was my best piece of advice. (NOTE: in today’s hypersensitive times, a man might be criticized for telling a woman she has a beautiful smile. My response? Risk it.)

I often advise young people — or anyone — to start a conversation with strangers. You might learn something or make a new friend or even find a life partner.

Since that night, I’ve asked people of my vintage how they would have responded to the question. Herewith some answers.

• Don’t take yourself too seriously and, a related point, maintain a sense of humor. No one likes being around a grouch.

• Do something nice for someone else, be it a friend or a stranger. They’ll appreciate the gesture and you’ll feel better about yourself.

• Understand that the question mark is the most unappreciated and underused punctuation mark. Remember when you were a kid and were always asking questions, like “How can birds stay up in the air?” and “Where does the rainbow come from?” Keep asking them. “What the heck is AI and why is everyone talking about it?” “What does is take to succeed as a (fill in the blank)?” and so on. People who retain a sense of curiosity have much happier and more rewarding lives.

• Take good care of your body, it’s the only one you’ll ever have. For example: eat less, exercise more — the only surefire diet plan.

• Know that it will all work out in the end. Actually, I’m not sure that’s always the case, but it’s good to remember that success is never final and failure is seldom fatal. Keep moving forward, trying to learn from mistakes.

• Maintain a positive attitude. Recognize the good things that happened in a day and don’t be dragged down by the bad things. Again, no one likes being around a grouch.

Enough.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.