• Blair Lonergan started "The Seasoned Mom" website in 2013 as a creative outlet. • She knew the path outlined during her time at Princeton wasn't for her. • Today, her site gives her the flexibility to be a hands-on parent to her three boys.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Blair Lonergan, author of "The Seasoned Mom Cookbook." It has been edited for length and clarity.

When I went to Princeton for undergrad, there was a clear path to success laid out for me. In the fall of my senior year, big consulting firms and investment banks came to campus, hoping to offer jobs to new graduates. But that version of success was not what I wanted for myself.

I wanted to teach underprivileged children and feel like I was making a difference, so that's what I did. I never fel

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