I Was Told It Would Get Easier

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
—

I sighed. “And I'm leaving day after tomorrow for the college tour.”

She laughed. “There you go, that'll be a total freaking disaster and therefore for a great distraction from the impending end of your career.”

“Wow, that's super supportive.”

“I scare because I care.”

“Thanks.”

“In other news this, this morning Sasha told me I make her want jump off a cliff.”

“What prompted that?”

“I said her uniform skirt was too short.”

“And that gave rise to suicidal ideation?”

“Teenagers are all about balance and reason.”

* Jessica's efforts to change her firm from within, and the two associates she champions, would make a decent novel. I don't know that it's a very Waxman-esque novel, but she gives us enough of a flavor of the story that the reader can write that in their mind

Everyone tells you middle school is fun, and then you get there and it sucks. Then high school is going to be fun, but you get there and it both sucks and is really hard. Now, apparently, college is going to be fun, but it really seems like one more hurdle standing between me and actual happiness. Whatever that is.

not

not even a little bit

want

—Call me Dani

I swear...I'll be graduating college and Mom will be on a call. I watched her nervously through the window at first, but it was clearly the office; she looked base-level stressed and didn't throw any accusing glances my way. She'd missed pretty much everything I did in elementary school because of work, and though I totally support her, girl power and all that, it's irritating. She complains about a work all the time, too, so I can't help noticing I'm coming second to something she doesn't even like.

Gilmore Girls

I WAS TOLD IT WOULD GET EASIER

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

As a mom who recently did the college tours, I can attest that the book rings true. It just needed a little more conflict and character development (for example, two people are planning a business, but we don't learn about that until the end). If the tour leader had been known to the students, the intrigue could have been better. I applaud the author for experimenting with a very non-formulaic plot, but I needed a stronger central question with which to grapple.