CECILY
Sorry, Vic
Hopefully she will chill
VICTORIA
Hopefully Sami doesn’t dye my hair in my sleep or something
GABRIELLE
LOL no
PRIANKA
She’s kinda psycho, Gabs
GABRIELLE
She’s not that bad 4 real
Her list is all nice stuff, nothing mean
U guys just want to hate on it
CECILY
IDK about that
GABRIELLE
Ok guys
Can we not do this
CECILY
Fine
PRIANKA
Cece, what’s up w/ u & Mara
PRIANKA
U barely talk
CECILY
We talk
IDK
We’re busy w/ diff stuff
VICTORIA
Do u think the teachers listened 2 my mom & we will all be in a bunk together
CECILY
No I don’t
Didn’t they already say no
VICTORIA
Kinda
GABRIELLE
It is supposed to be random assignments
GABRIELLE
For bonding or whatever
VICTORIA
Hmph
CECILY
Don’t worry, Vic
It’ll be good
VICTORIA
Do u guys feel like you are on a repeat of your summer trip?
GABRIELLE
I feel like it’ll be diff
More educational
CECILY
Same
K going 2 work on memorizing my lines
GABRIELLE
Going 2 nap
PRIANKA
& I’ll stare out the window & pray it’s not like our summer trip
VICTORIA
I’ll just sit here fretting LOL
Dear students,
WELCOME TO YORKVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL’S OUTDOOR EDUCATION.
Please make sure you follow all the instructions in this letter.
Go outside on the porch. Take a deep breath. Hold it. Exhale. Smell the beautiful fresh air. Take notice of all the nature around you. We are here to unwind, to bond as a community, to appreciate our world and our environment, and to take stock of our patterns and behaviors. We are here to grow, to truly become the people we want to be, to start the new school year on the right foot.
Go back inside. Introduce yourself to your fellow bunkmates if you do not know them. Say hello to your high school chaperones. They were once seventh graders on this trip. They have much wisdom to share.
Unpack. Make your bed. Get settled.
Please meet in the main building, down the hill at five.
We’ll be waiting for you.
Yours truly,
The seventh-grade faculty
Wahhhhhhh
VICTORIA
Guysssssss I’m not with anyone I know
We have to give phones to the hs chaperone in 1 min
I am so sad
I want 2 go homeeeeeeee
Gabs—sooooooo happy we’re in the same bunk. This is a sign from the universe that we are meant to be BFF. Xoxo Miriam
I am happy, too. Sami was crying, though! Did you see? Because she’s not in a bunk w/ u or the Hannahs or Eloise?
Yeah. I think so. I didn’t get to talk to her yet.
Is this starting soon? Why is our bunk the first one in this building and why are we not allowed to talk?
Ha! No idea.
Dear students,
Now that we’ve had our first activity, we’d like you to write about it. Please describe the trust fall and how you felt. If you finish early, please describe your view from the porch. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? Use all your senses.
HAPPY WRITING!
Dear Journal,
That trust fall was insane!!!! I had to hold Anthony Mawslin. I have never even talked to him before and there I was holding his back. It was crazy. At least we didn’t drop him. But seriously I was doing most of the work. Kevin Teak was helping, too, but not that much. Everyone else was all squeamish and weird, like they had one finger on Anthony and weren’t really holding him. I honestly feel kind of empowered now, and definitely closer to Anthony. I guess it wasn’t possible to get farther from him. We never talked before!
Love, Prianka
Dear Journal,
Okay. Wow. I was the one being held up in the trust fall exercise and it was one of the scariest things of my whole entire life. The teachers picked the person in the group to fall and Ms. Noemp picked me. I was kind of flattered at first but then freaked out. How was I really going to trust my group? I didn’t know anyone in it! Well, that’s not true. Brian Goldfarb and I were in a playgroup together as babies but that doesn’t really count. So anyway, I climbed up the ladder, and when I looked down I saw everyone standing there, arms outstretched and sort of interlinked like some kind of human quilt. The ropes instructor guy told me to turn around, so I did, and then I hesitated a minute and then I fell back and they caught me! There I was—totally held up by my peers! It was kind of an amazing experience. I guess we really do hold each other up. Sounds cheesy but true. I’m hungry now.
Love, Cecily
Dear Gabby,
I know we’re supposed to be writing in our journals now and I technically am writing in my journal but I’m writing a note to you instead. I am really upset about what happened. I feel like I was punished and separated from all my friends on this trip because of your friend Victoria and her mom. Honestly, I wasn’t going to rank everyone in the grade—we have a huge grade of over 200 people, I don’t even know everyone! Also, it wasn’t for everyone to see. Don’t you get how this was blown totally out of proportion? It’s crazy. And you and Cecily are on it! It’s a huge compliment. I really like you guys. Well I like you. I don’t know Cecily that well but I know she is super smart.
Anyway, I think you need to go explain to the teachers with me since you’re friends with Victoria. And you need to tell them that this was not what they thought. I don’t deserve to be punished. I’m all alone on this trip now. And my parents are mad at me.
I want you to be friends with us but I’m not sure you can stay friends with us because I don’t know about your loyalty. Are you a real, true friend to stand up for me? I know we just became friends recently but I thought you were a real friend and that’s why I shared the ranking with you.
Please write back and let me know. I think we should go talk to the teachers after dinner tonight. I hope you’re going to say yes, otherwise I don’t know what we can do.
Love, Sami
Dear Journal,
How do I get into these messes? The trust fall was actually really cool but I was too stressed to even enjoy it because of all the other drama. I’ll quickly summarize: Anya Riak was the one falling and she was super nervous. She stood up there for like ten minutes before even leaning back. And we just stood there ready to catch her. Maybe she had to know that we were really there for her. I’m not sure. It was a cool experience. I’m glad I wasn’t the one who had to fall. I’m also glad Victoria was in my group because she was so upset about everything and at least we had a few minutes to talk face-to-face. Ugh. Anyway, I need to close my eyes and take deep breaths now.
Love, Gabs
Dear Cece,
Do you know that you’re on the ranking? I am, too. This is a big compliment. I’m not supposed to say anything but you’re on it for being the smartest in the grade by far. Obviously I agree. But come on, why is this rank thing so crazy? Can we discuss it? Don’t hate.
Love, Gabs
Date: ____________
Table: ____________
Names of students at your table: ____________________________________________________________
Amount of food waste: ____________________________________________
____
Reflections: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
G—Meet me by the bathroom in 5 minutes. —S
Guys, I’m writing this on the back of a napkin in the third stall in the bathroom. I think I need to leave early. Everyone is being so mean to me because they’re saying I blabbed to my mom and got Sami in trouble. I hate my bunk and my table and I miss you guys and I want to go home. If I disappear, you’ll know why. Love, VM
Dear Journal,
I hate this trip. I hate the kids in my grade. I hate my mom for making such a big deal out of everything all the time. I hate everything. What would my life be like if I had a different mom? Imagine who I could be and what I could accomplish. Why are some people born with terrible moms and some with great ones? I don’t get it. Is there a reason for these things?
Love, Victoria Melford, the miserable
Gabs, I don’t want to put any of this in writing. It is getting out of hand. I can discuss with you later. Love, Cece
Please write your reflections about the incident on this sheet of paper.
We will discuss it when you’re finished.
I believe I was caught in the middle of something that wasn’t my fault. I’m sorry it caused pain and disrupted the 7th grade trip. That was never my intention. I didn’t expect my mom to tell people about Sami’s list. —Victoria
Please write your reflections about the incident on this sheet of paper.
We will discuss it when you’re finished.
My list was a private thing among my friends and wasn’t meant to hurt anyone’s feelings. It was just a funny activity. I am sorry I disrupted the trip and got mad at Victoria. I didn’t mean to be rude. I think we should be allowed to do our own private stuff without a million parents and kids getting involved. —Sami
Dear Miriam,
I can’t believe you are totally taking Sami’s side here. I know we just became friends but I was excited about getting to know you better and your friends, too. I enjoyed sitting at your table. I don’t understand why you are blaming me for this whole thing with Sami’s ranking and the Victoria drama. Honestly I thought you had more of an independent mind and didn’t need to follow everything Sami does.
Love, Gabby
Gabby and friends:
Stop talking to us. You’re annoying. You’re ruining this trip. I’m taking Gabby and Cecily off the ranking now. You had good qualities but you’re making everyone miserable. Please just stop before we get in more trouble.
Sami
Well, this trip has become a nightmare. Everything went crazy with Sami and Victoria and Gabby and now those girls hate us, not that we were that close anyway. But whatever. I guess Gabby wanted to be friends with them. TBH, I think she still does. Who knows. Ever since our summer trip Gabby is bored with our group of friends but she won’t admit it. I am ready to go home and move on from this nightmare. Love, Cecily
Dear Journal,
I am patting myself on the back because I did not get involved in the drama on this trip. I hung out with Sage (PBFF—poetry best friend forever) and Vishal a little bit and that was it. I refuse to be dragged into the Sami drama. No thank you. The trip was great.
Love, Pri
VICTORIA—YOU OKAY? —ARJUN
No, not okay. Hate everything. Bye.
Birds seen on this trip:
Laughing gull
Red-tailed hawk
House sparrow
Herring gull
Eastern bluebird
Leaves seen so far:
Ginkgo
Beech
Sugar maple
Elm
Tree observations:
Green
Fluffy
Looming
Protective
Surrounding
Covering
Shading
Wahhhh
CECILY
Soooooo tired from the trip & we have a swim meet today
GABRIELLE
IK may bail
VICTORIA
Pls don’t bail
Need 2 talk 2 u guys
Sami still harassing me
PRIANKA
Oyyy
Sage taught me that expression
Her gma speaks yiddish to her
PRIANKA
So cool right
GABRIELLE
CECILY
I gtg guys
Cu later @ swim or school
Don’t worry, Vic—we r here 4 u
GABRIELLE
Yes
VICTORIA
K
Pls protect me
Ummmmmm???
GABRIELLE
Ok I know no side chats but
What is up w/ Vic
She’s going nuts again
CECILY
IDK Sami is really mean
GABRIELLE
Honestly she’s not that bad
That whole rank thing was just something for her little group
It all went
GABRIELLE
Can’t we take a step back here & look clearly
I mean Cece u were on it, too
Didn’t that make u even a little happy
CECILY
Ummmmm not really
I don’t need Sami’s approval of me
It’s kind of sad that u need it, Gabs
PRIANKA
Staying out of drama
Sorry
Bye
Prianka has left the chat
GABRIELLE
OMG & Pri, too
She acts like she’s better than us bc she’s all into poetry
CECILY
Stop, Gabs
GABRIELLE
Ugh now ur turning against me, too
Grrrrr
Bye
CECILY
Love you!
Dear Ms. Brickfeld:
I’m leaving you this note in your box because I couldn’t find you in the guidance office. I’d like to set up a meeting with you to discuss some personal matters.
Thank you,
Gabrielle Katz
Leaving notes in all of your lockers so you don’t wonder where I am. Meeting Ms. Brickfeld @ lunch. Xox Gabs
Cecily—please help me. Meet me in the first-floor bathroom as soon as you can. Sami keeps glaring at me. I think she’s spreading all kinds of rumors. Please help. —VM
From: Yorkville Middle School Administration
To: Yorkville seventh-grade students and parents
Subject: Troubling behavior
Dear families:
It’s come to my attention that there was some troubling behavior on the seventh-grade trip. It appears that it’s still going on at school. I’d like to schedule a last-minute meeting for tomorrow at 7 p.m. to go over our code of conduct and school policies. Threatening and cruel behavior will not be tolerated.
With best wishes,
Edward Carransey
You must be the change you want to see in the world. —Gandhi
From: Evelyn Brickfeld
To: Gabrielle Katz
Subject: Our meeting
Dear Gabby,
I hope you feel a little better after our meeting today. Feel free to come back anytime. Please keep me updated on the situation.
Ms. Brickfeld
Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of your heart. —Mort Walker
Dear Gabs,
So glad you came to find me in the 3rd-floor bathroom. Thanks for going to Ms. Brickfeld to talk to her, too. I think the more people I have on my side, the better. It’s obvious that Victoria and her mom are crazy. Sit with us from now on. You’ll be way happier. I need to show you the updated list. And honestly, I feel like the swim team will just take away from hangout time. Who wants to swim in th
e winter anyway?
Xoxoxoxoxo Sami
From: Diana Katz
To: Elizabeth Anderson, Manjula Basak
Subject: Our girls
Ladies,
Hi! How’s everything? Sorry I have been so woefully out of touch. The beginning of the year always makes me crazy. Seems like our girls are a little nutty, too. What have you been hearing? I’m worried Gabs is getting mixed up with the wrong group of kids. Can we have coffee?
Love you,
D
Sami,
Cool. I don’t know where I’m sitting for lunch but glad the air is clear between us.
Love, Gabs
Just sit with us. Why are you being so weird? :)
Ha! Ok. Gotta stop passing notes. This sub keeps looking at me.
Subs are lame. But ok. Bye.
Friends
VICTORIA
Guys so glad we r all here
Let’s text instead of talk since all these girls around us could listen
GABRIELLE
Well they could read over our shoulders, too, LOL
CECILY
Gabs!
GABRIELLE
What? Just saying
PRIANKA
Whatever
Anyway here 4 u, Vic
PRIANKA
What’s up
VICTORIA
Sending u a pic of this note I found in my locker
Do u recognize handwriting
CAN U PLEASE STOP BEING SO ANNOYING? NONE OF THIS IS A BIG DEAL. YOU’RE MAKING THIS HARDER ON YOURSELF. OK? EVERYONE IS GOING TO HATE YOU SOON. JUST STOP.
PRIANKA
No idea
I think this whole thing just needs to blow over