Dear prospective students, I love how you huddle together in small tour groups with other overwhelmed prospectives and their panicked parents. You listen to obscure facts rapidly spewing from your guide’s mouth and try to discern which slivers of information make this college more special than any other medium-sized liberal arts college in the mid-Atlantic region. I love how you cling to these…
Dear Sabina, age 10, I know you’re frustrated right now—you fight with your friends weekly, you would give anything to quit swim team, and school is so easy and boring that you fake sick to stay home and read. You just want to be in the real world; you crave change and understanding. In the…
Dear Sabina, for future sad days or scared days or self-critical days, Sometimes you may feel disappointed in others or yourself. You may feel like you aren’t good enough, or like your failures are constantly being scrutinized. You may feel uncomfortable in your body or self-conscious about a strange bump in your hair. It’s okay to…
Dear Logan, Preemptive disclaimer: you’re not going to believe any of this. You’re 11. You’re highly concerned about what other kids will think of you. Psychologically, you have a hard time realizing that everyone is too worried about themselves to think about you and your imperfections. That’s not your fault, but in 5 years you’ll…
Victim to Charm 