Montana and her sister Arizona are named after the beautiful mountain states that their mother left them for, but they are nothing like a mountain state. Montana is a New York City girl, and she sure is influenced by the city life. Her older sister Arizona on the other hand, is caught up in her college world which always leaves Montana the feeling of wanting to be older than she is. With Arizona gone at school, along with Montana’s best friend who is also a college student, Montana is left in the city alone. Her father is a plastic surgeon which leaves him to always be on the go working. Montana being left alone has really put her in the position to try and find herself. She feels so alone in her high school world, and she dreams of a life with more fun living in the city.
Since all this is going on, Montana has found herself a new friend who she met from her acting class. Karissa is bold, perfectly beautiful, and unafraid to be vulnerable. She is everything that Montana would like to become. Although Montana for sure is not 21, in the first chapter Karissa brings Montana to a bar. Since Karissa is this perfect girl that everyone would like some part of, she sees to always get her way. As she approaches the bouncer she says “This is Montana, she cool?” The bouncer can tell she isn’t old enough, but since Karissa always gets her way, he lets her in anyway. It is summer in the first few chapters of the book, so Montana just wants to have fun and find herself.
In chapter one, Montana explains “Arizona(her sister) gets back tonight. We haven’t spoken in over a month, which seems impossible for someone I used to co-parent a stuffed elephant with. She won’t even be living at home over the summer. Dad’s letting her split a summer sublet with one of her new Colby friends. I hate that the word sister has this shifting, changeable definition that doesn’t mean two people who share a room and a brain and a speech pattern and a body type anymore.” You can tell she misses the old days with her sister. She is trying to ignore those feelings and act like a 21 year old girl that she tries to be at the bar. The city really impacts her life that way because the stereotypical city life is about going out all night, going to bars, and having the life of the party. Along with all of this, Karissa makes life harder on Montana by bringing boys into it. At the bar she exclaims “If I find you a cute college guy to hook up with, would you ditch your other best friends and become mine?” Even though Montana says she will consider it, she knows what she really wants, she is just too afraid to tell Karissa what that is. In reality, there is this guy who she sometimes sees in the park. She says she is pretty sure they have developed a whole relationship based on continuous awkward eye contact over the past 2 months. This is who she really wants, and wants something real with. Montana does have a rough life at this age. She is dealing with the headiness of first love thoughts, the battle lines of family drama, and trying to form her own identity in the midst of craziness that surrounds her. Although her soon to be best friend Karissa and her are alike, they also have too many differences. Sure, they both have rough lives and problems to deal with, but Montana has it so much different. She is still in high school, she still has time to find herself, and by hanging around Karissa this is not impacting her life in a good way. In high school, it is hard for everyone. You are trying to find yourself. There will always be the “high school cliques” and trying to put yourself in the right one, but in a few years what will it matter? In a few years, who do you want to be? To me, I want to be myself. It won’t matter that you were friends with the coolest kids, or had the quarterback boyfriend. That isn’t what life is all about, because everyone is different and we will all go our own places. So who will you be throughout high school, and will you let what others think of you impact the way you live your life? I know I won’t. You have to believe in yourself, and live for what you want.
Since all this is going on, Montana has found herself a new friend who she met from her acting class. Karissa is bold, perfectly beautiful, and unafraid to be vulnerable. She is everything that Montana would like to become. Although Montana for sure is not 21, in the first chapter Karissa brings Montana to a bar. Since Karissa is this perfect girl that everyone would like some part of, she sees to always get her way. As she approaches the bouncer she says “This is Montana, she cool?” The bouncer can tell she isn’t old enough, but since Karissa always gets her way, he lets her in anyway. It is summer in the first few chapters of the book, so Montana just wants to have fun and find herself.
In chapter one, Montana explains “Arizona(her sister) gets back tonight. We haven’t spoken in over a month, which seems impossible for someone I used to co-parent a stuffed elephant with. She won’t even be living at home over the summer. Dad’s letting her split a summer sublet with one of her new Colby friends. I hate that the word sister has this shifting, changeable definition that doesn’t mean two people who share a room and a brain and a speech pattern and a body type anymore.” You can tell she misses the old days with her sister. She is trying to ignore those feelings and act like a 21 year old girl that she tries to be at the bar. The city really impacts her life that way because the stereotypical city life is about going out all night, going to bars, and having the life of the party. Along with all of this, Karissa makes life harder on Montana by bringing boys into it. At the bar she exclaims “If I find you a cute college guy to hook up with, would you ditch your other best friends and become mine?” Even though Montana says she will consider it, she knows what she really wants, she is just too afraid to tell Karissa what that is. In reality, there is this guy who she sometimes sees in the park. She says she is pretty sure they have developed a whole relationship based on continuous awkward eye contact over the past 2 months. This is who she really wants, and wants something real with. Montana does have a rough life at this age. She is dealing with the headiness of first love thoughts, the battle lines of family drama, and trying to form her own identity in the midst of craziness that surrounds her. Although her soon to be best friend Karissa and her are alike, they also have too many differences. Sure, they both have rough lives and problems to deal with, but Montana has it so much different. She is still in high school, she still has time to find herself, and by hanging around Karissa this is not impacting her life in a good way. In high school, it is hard for everyone. You are trying to find yourself. There will always be the “high school cliques” and trying to put yourself in the right one, but in a few years what will it matter? In a few years, who do you want to be? To me, I want to be myself. It won’t matter that you were friends with the coolest kids, or had the quarterback boyfriend. That isn’t what life is all about, because everyone is different and we will all go our own places. So who will you be throughout high school, and will you let what others think of you impact the way you live your life? I know I won’t. You have to believe in yourself, and live for what you want.
Above is a link to a video about finding yourself, and believing in who you will become.
Throughout my high school years, I have been and will continue to be myself and nobody but myself. My goal has always been to stay true to who I am and not let anyone change me or influence who I am as person and so far I think I've done a pretty good job with that. I will not let other think of me make an impact on my life either. What other people have to say about you does not matter because in a matter of time you will never have to see them again. If you let what other have to say about you impact your life it holds you back from all the opportunities your could have had if you were just yourself.
ReplyDeleteYes I 100% agree with you on that!
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