This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Maitri Mangal, a 26-year-old software engineer at Google, based in New York. Her identity and employment have been verified by Business Insider.

You're currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email. Follow Ana Altchek Every time Ana publishes a story, you’ll get an alert straight to your inbox! Enter ...