W
When I left elementary school to start 7th
It was more an I-like-you-and-so-let’s-
grade at the junior high, my whole life
hang-out-at-school thing.) But even with
changed. Suddenly I was worried about
all of these rules, I kept telling my parents
my clothes, how my hair looked, and what
that they had nothing to worry about since
others thought of me. My mom even pur-
I was terrified of actually talking to the
chased MAKE UP for me! See? Big deal. I
cute boys anyways.
went from being a soccer-playing, fieldroaming tomboy to being a self-conscious
One day though, the unfathomable hap-
12 year old girl. Weird.
pened. A cute boy told his friends to tell
my friends to tell me, that he wanted to
Junior High was a different world. There
“go out” with me. And yes, it all happened
were cool kids and nerdy kids and sport
through the friend chain. Can you believe
teams and academic clubs. And most im-
it!?! I was so
portantly, there were REALLY CUTE boys.
excited, especially
with all of my bub-
For some reason I didn’t really notice boys
bly friends telling
until I started Junior High. Maybe you’re
me the news! In
the same? Maybe not? But when 7th
the back of my
grade came it’s like someone gave me new glasses
and I could finally see that
WOW! some of those boys
were cute business!!
Will you go out
with me?
Now my parents must have
known this boy-noticing-
Yes
No
Check it o
ut!
My 7th gra
de
yearbook
picture.
See how g
irly??
Haha.
experience would happen
because they kept on reminding me of “The Rules”:
mind I could hear my parents telling me
No attending dances. No boy/girl parties
“The Rules” but I quickly pushed them
unless my mom went (UGH). And espe-
away, because how bad could it be? It’s
cially no “going out” with a boy. (Back in
not like I was going out on a date or sneak-
that day “going out” meant that we would
ing off with him to parties and such. So I
be called boyfriend and girlfriend but not
said yes.
actually go on dates or anything like that.