Mary Schmich

Mary Schmich – Life, Career, and Memorable Thoughts

Explore the life and work of Mary Schmich — the Pulitzer Prize–winning American columnist best known for her “Wear Sunscreen” essay. Learn about her biography, journalism, influence, and famous quotes.

Introduction

Mary Theresa Schmich (born November 29, 1953) is an American journalist, essayist, and former longtime columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Her voice is known for wry observation, empathy, and wisdom rooted in everyday life. While she wrote many hundreds of columns, she is perhaps most widely known for the 1997 column titled “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young”, better known by its opening “Wear sunscreen”, which achieved viral fame and became a spoken-word song.

Over her career, she won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and became a figure whose reflections on life continue to resonate widely.

Early Life and Education

Mary Schmich was born in Savannah, Georgia, as the eldest of eight children.

She earned her B.A. in 1975 from Pomona College in California, where she co-edited the student newspaper.

She then attended the Stanford University Graduate School of Journalism.

Journalism Career & Major Work

Early Reporting

After finishing her studies, Schmich began her journalism career with reporting roles at the Peninsula Times Tribune (Palo Alto, California) and the Orlando Sentinel.

In 1985, she joined the Chicago Tribune.

Columnist Years

Schmich began her regular column in the Chicago Tribune in 1992.

Her columns often focused on personal reflection, the quirks of daily life, social observations, and gentle advice. She became known for writing in a tone that blends warmth, humor, and insight.

Aside from her column, from 1985 until 2011, Schmich also wrote the comic strip “Brenda Starr, Reporter” (for the last 28 years of its run).

In 2021, Schmich announced her departure from the Tribune after 36 years, opting for a voluntary buyout.

“Wear Sunscreen” & Its Legacy

On June 1, 1997, Schmich published a column titled “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young.” In that essay, she framed a hypothetical commencement speech, opening with:

“Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97: Wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.”

That column struck a chord and soon circulated widely via email, often misattributed to Kurt Vonnegut or as an MIT commencement speech.

In 1998, she published a gift book Wear Sunscreen: A Primer for Real Life based on the column.

The essay’s line “Do one thing every day that scares you” comes from this work and is frequently quoted (and sometimes misattributed).

Recent Projects & Podcasting

In more recent years, Schmich has adapted to new media. She is involved with a podcast Division Street Revisited, which revisits stories of people featured in the 1967 oral history book Division Street: America.

Her transition from newspaper columns to podcasting reflects her ongoing engagement with storytelling across different platforms.

Style, Themes & Approach

Mary Schmich’s writing style is notable for:

• Conversational and accessible voice: She writes as though speaking with a friend, not lecturing from a pedestal.

• Reflections from life experience: Many of her columns draw on personal anecdotes, observations of everyday life, or small epiphanies.

• Gentle wisdom and humility: Her advice is rarely rigid or dogmatic; she often qualifies it with recognition of uncertainty.

• Blend of humor and earnestness: She balances lightness and seriousness, making her reflections resonate without preaching.

• Attention to time, regret, memory, relationships: Her recurring themes include aging, regret, change, and human connection.

She is also candid about the limits of advice—a recurring motif that life is messy, unpredictable, and often beyond full control.

Famous Quotes by Mary Schmich

Here are some memorable quotes attributed to her:

• “Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and, in the end, it’s only with yourself.”

• “Replace the words ‘have to’ with ‘get to’ and watch how the cold rain on your life changes to sunshine.”

• “Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.”

• “On an average day, we allow ourselves the fiction that we own a piece of our workplace. That’s part of what it takes to get the job done. Deeper down, we know it’s all on loan.”

• “Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.”

• “Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.”

• “Do one thing every day that scares you.”

These encapsulate Schmich’s combination of clarity, reflection, and emotional realism.

Lessons from Mary Schmich’s Journey

• Speak from lived experience. Her power comes from writing about what she’s observed, felt, and struggled with—not abstract ideals.

• Embrace modesty in advice. She often frames her suggestions as provisional, not commandments, which makes her voice more honest and humane.

• Adapt to changing media. Her shift toward podcasting shows that writers can evolve with new platforms while preserving their voice.

• Leave room for readers’ interpretations. Her columns often gesture at deeper truths without over-explaining, letting readers bring their own reflections.

• Recognize that small moments matter. Many of her essays focus on seemingly trivial daily scenes—sunlight, rain, letters, conversations—and show how meaning accumulates in everyday life.

Conclusion

Mary Schmich is more than a newspaper columnist; she is a chronicler of the human condition in its ordinary rhythms. Through thousands of columns, a virally beloved essay, and an evolving digital presence, she has invited readers to reflect on time, regret, possibility, and the small acts that shape a life. Her writing reminds us that wisdom often lives in simple truths, gentle observations, and the willingness to embrace life’s uncertainties.