Sam is from a small suburban town in Hunterdon County New Jersey called High Bridge. The 3.5 mile town is filled with woods...and not much else. Sam didn't have the easiest time growing up in High Bridge. Kids were mean to her and teased her about everything from her short stature to the color of her hair. Her one escape was High Bridge's woods, where she spent time fishing in the lakes and streams.
Positive: The woods were my escape. There was always something to do among the various streams and rivers that ran through High Bridge. My favorite place was Lake Solitude. On one side of it there's a waterfall that kids like to jump into, despite the signs saying they shouldn't. A couple of kids have died jumping into it. I never took the risk.
I also love to go fishing. There was one time, though, when fishing got a little awkward. In order for me to be allowed to have my first boyfriend in eighth grade, my dad took me to Lake Solitude to have "the talk." My family doesn't talk about sex. Ever. In my family, you literally have to sit in a car and lock all the doors to get anyone to talk about sex. My dad started "the talk" and I wanted to jump into the lake. It was so awkward. He kept asking me if I had any questions and I kept saying "I'm okay!" It was just so agonizing for both of us. And really funny. My dad talking about sex... I make sex jokes all the time and he can't flat out talk about it.
Negative: It isn't High Bridge itself that I have negative memories of. It wasn't the town that bothered me, it was the people at school. Everything else was fine: I love the people at my church and my family. But school? The girls would gang up on my, beat me up. I was too short. Too ugly. Too weird. If it was one thing, it was something else. I didn't do my hair right. Wore my makeup the wrong way.
They told me no guy would date me because I'm too short. It's funny because right now, I'm dating a guy who's six-two and I'm four-ten. They used to tell me how ugly I was, how no guy would ever date me because I was a tomboy. Now I have burping contests with my boyfriend. He likes me for who I am and we've together two years now.
The school system and the kids in the school system were just awful, but there was one positive: the middle school guidance counselor who was the only one willing to help out.
Bottom line: Beautiful town, ugly kids. (But Sam wants to clarify, the kids in her grade only. There are more good ones now.
Side note: Sam wanted to mention that most of her former bullies are now drug addicts and she is on her way to Army Officer Candidate School, as well as applying to the New Jersey State Trooper Academy.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea! I think it's perfect for our age group seeing as many of us are graduating and moving away from home. It makes the reader reflect on his/her own life, the good and the bad. We talked about this in class, so I knew that they are the peoples own stories, but it was definitely more clear when you added the italics as your own words. I know you did one about your brother, but were you planning on doing one about yourself? You could even just do it in your 'about' part. It will give the reader more of an idea of who you are. The stories of the other people are great, but it would be cool to know your own as well. Just a thought:)
Overall, I really like this idea and am very interested to read these peoples stories.
-Tori
Hi Liz,
ReplyDeleteI think the blog idea you chose is great. The variety of stories that people share with you will help to keep this blog new every week. I like how you include for positive and negative memories and then some it up with an amusing bottom line. Also, the appearance of your blog is good, but I would suggest maybe adding a few more pictures of the person to each week's post to make the blog more visually appealing. I'm looking forward to reading more people's stories as the weeks go by. Great job!
- Brian