Much of the discourse about public education revolves around the idea of teaching kids “21st century skills” and prepping them for the jobs of the future. Well, students at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, will soon get a personal look at the kind of technology that is likely to disrupt their post-graduation employment opportunities.
On Wednesday, the university announced that when students come back to campus in the fall, they’ll be able to ride automated shuttles around its North Campus. Instead of a shuttle with a human driver, students will ride on “two fully-automated, 15-passenger, all-electric shuttles,” according to a statement released by Mcity, an urban test facility on campus.
“This first-ever automated shuttle service on campus is a critical research project that will help us understand the challenges and opportunities presented by this type of mobility service and how people interact with it,” said mechanical engineering professor Huei Peng, the director of Mcity.
Peng means Mcity will use cameras installed on the vans to observe how people react to the technology. Along with gathering data about riders, the cameras will film how pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers respond to automated vehicles. That will be used to “help researchers understand how to design safer vehicles and how to operate them more efficiently,” according to the school.
“The shuttles will augment U-M’s busy campus bus service to provide another mobility option,” said Peng. So they’re not going to be replacing all the human workers—yet. Research by consulting firm McKinsey & Co. has found that “currently demonstrated technologies could automate 45 percent of the activities people are paid to perform and that about 60 percent of all occupations could see 30 percent or more of their constituent activities automated, again with technologies available today.”
It’s unlikely that students graduating with a diploma from one of the best public universities in the nation are going to be getting jobs driving a shuttle around their alma mater—or any other campus, for that matter. But white-collar jobs aren’t going to be unaffected by the coming changes, either. McKinsey found that as many as two-thirds of jobs in industries such as finance and insurance could be either eliminated or changed by automation and artificial intelligence.
Of course, students at Michigan might not be thinking about all of that this fall while they’re taking the two-mile ride from one point on the shuttle’s route to another. For broke, ramen-noodle-eating college students, all that might actually matter is that the shuttle will be free.
Parents of young children get more time with them if they work from home.Photo credit: Canva
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Grieving couple comforting each other
This response to someone grieving a friend might be the best internet comment ever
When someone is hit with the sudden loss of a friend or loved one, words rarely feel like enough. Yet, more than a decade ago, a wise Redditor named GSnow shared thoughts so profound they still bring comfort to grieving hearts today.
Originally posted around 2011, the now-famous reply was rediscovered when Upvoted, an official Reddit publication, featured it again to remind everyone of its enduring truth. It began as a simple plea for help: “My friend just died. I don't know what to do.”
What followed was a piece of writing that many consider one of the internet’s best comments of all time. It remains shared across social media, grief forums, and personal messages to this day because its honesty and metaphor speak to the raw reality of loss and the slow, irregular path toward healing.
Below is GSnow’s full reply, unchanged, in all its gentle, wave-crashing beauty:
Why this advice still matters
Mental health professionals and grief counselors often describe bereavement in stages or phases, but GSnow’s “wave theory” gives an image more relatable for many. Rather than a linear process, grief surges and retreats—sometimes triggered by a song, a place, or a simple morning cup of coffee.
In recent years, this metaphor has found renewed relevance. Communities on Reddit, TikTok, and grief support groups frequently reshare it to help explain the unpredictable nature of mourning.
Many readers say this analogy helps them feel less alone, giving them permission to ride each wave of grief rather than fight it.
Finding comfort in shared wisdom
Since this comment first surfaced, countless people have posted their own stories underneath it, thanking GSnow and passing the words to others facing fresh heartbreak. It’s proof that sometimes, the internet can feel like a global support group—strangers linked by shared loss and hope.
For those searching for more support today, organizations like The Dougy Center, GriefShare, and local bereavement groups offer compassionate resources. If you or someone you know is struggling with intense grief, please reach out to mental health professionals who can help navigate these deep waters.
When grief comes crashing like the ocean, remember these words—and hang on. There is life between the waves.
This article originally appeared four years ago.