It’s June, hooray! I always have a sense of freedom when school is out for summer. I have more time to leisurely sip my tea in the morning and enjoy a coffee date! Thanks to Coco and Deborah as always for hosting. If we were having coffee together…
I would ask you how you enjoyed middle school. For me, “enjoy” was definitely not the correct word. Is there a word that means “suffered permanent damage to one’s self esteem”? That’s the one I’m looking for. Seventh grade ties for the worst year of my life (the other being the year my daughter was two, but that’s a whole other topic.)
Both my kids loved seventh grade, which boggles my mind. It may partially be because they didn’t have to take PE, which was the worst bane of my existence in middle school. But I also think the schools are doing a much better job of preventing bullying.
Do you remember the Judy Blume book Blubber? When I reread it as an adult, I noticed that most of the really bad stuff happened while the kids were unsupervised during lunch. How odd, I thought, that they would allow the kids to eat lunch alone in a classroom.
But when I look back on my own middle school experience, we were strangely unsupervised a lot of the time as well. I think the schools now realize that packs of middle school kids are not to be trusted, and have cracked down accordingly. Whatever the reasons, my daughter is actually SAD that seventh grade is over! Go figure.
Speaking of books, I just finished this one:
WOW. This was fascinating and intense. Dystopian novels aren’t usually my thing, but I read about this on another blog and it sounded so interesting I decided to read it.
In the futuristic world of this novel, Roe vs. Wade has been overturned, abortion constitutes murder, and convicted felons are injected with a virus that alters the color of their skin to match the class of their crime. The main character, Hannah, is now a Red after being convicted of murder (having an abortion.). Life for chromes is fraught with danger, and this is a suspenseful story. When I was close to the end my husband tried to start a conversation and I was like “Get away from me! I have to see how this ends!”
This book was written in 2011, and it’s interesting that a topic so current in 2022 is part of a dark and dangerous “future” that the author imagined eleven years ago. Thank you to whoever it was that recommended this book- I can’t remember which blog it was (if you’re reading, please let me know it was you in the comment section!)
I’m almost through my library holds, and I have another one waiting for me, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. This is another one that got some amazing reviews, so I’m excited to start it. AND, the next Cormoran Strike mystery (by Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling) comes out in August! I already have a library hold on it and am counting down the days.
That’s it for this coffee date!
What are you reading now? Ever read Blubber? What was your experience in middle school?
36 Responses
I was just reading something about lunch in junior high and high school. I guess some schools randomly assign seats in cafeterias and teachers/staff sit at randomly distributed tables with the students. Apparently there’s a lot less bad behavior when schools do it this way.
I Just got Lessons in Chemistry from the library, too. When She Woke was available for an immediate borrow as an ebook, so I went ahead and got it, too. I have so many good books to read!
Ooh, I’ll be interested to hear what you think of When She Woke!
At my daughter’s school they don’t assign seats in the cafeteria, but they go to lunch with their fourth period class and all have to sit together. So it’s not exactly assigned seating but not completely open seating either. And I’m sure the teachers are there to supervise closely.
I love that phrase on your mug! For school, I would say I tolerated middle school but I really did love high school and college. Now would I ever want to repeat the school experience? Absolutely not, lol.
Well… it might be interesting to repeat that school experience knowing what I know now. It might be nice to get something positive out of it, instead of wasting all the time worrying about how my body looked.
I hope you enjoy Lessons in Chemistry as much as I did. I just really really loved it and thought the characters were so quirky and unique. And it’s a debut novel from a 65yo woman which I think is very very cool and inspiring!
Ugh. Middle school. I didn’t like it but I might have disliked HS even more? But I am from a teeny tiny town where my graduating class had 28 people in it… and I was not athletic and did not party so I was a total outlier. I asked my parents to send me to boarding school in high school and they refused. Which I understand now that I am a parent – the time goes so fast as is, you don’t want to ship your kid off for multiple school years. But wow did I hate my teen years in that small town. I was so so so happy when I got to college and found my people!
I did read Blubber but don’t remember much about it! I just finished “While Paris Slept” which was a WWII novel but it focuses more so on the time after the war and the aftermath of decisions made and trauma people experienced. Now I am starting my June book club book – “How the Word is Passed” which I’ve heard good things about!
WOW. My graduating class had 500 people! 28 is incredibly tiny. I can see how that would be hard, and I can also see how your parents didn’t want to send you to boarding school. Seeing them leave for college is heartbreaking enough- no need to leave any earlier than that.
Early middle school was awful, but things turned around for me toward the end of 7th grade. It’s been interesting to watch my stepsons going through the same phases of life. Both of them are much happier in high school than they were in middle school. It tough being a kid.
Yes I read Blubber back in the day! I remember almost nothing about it but at the time it resonated because I was on the chubby side.
Lessons in Chemistry is high on my TBR. I just finished The Boys Club by Erica Katz and I’m narrowing down my next read.
I think most people are happier in high school- middle school is just such an awkward time.
I’ve read great reviews of The Boys Club! I’ll let you know how Lessons in Chemistry is.
I was raised with Judy Blume as my favorite story teller. I agree, middle school was nasty. And, I had a horrible gym teacher who was blatantly partial to her chosen few athletes (that she coached in every sport). It seems like a lot of adults had similar experiences.
Yes, why was PE so unbelievably unpleasant? It’s lucky we grew up to love exercise after experiences like that.
Just finished the Paris Hotel and am reading Rock Paper Scissors – both will give you nightmares.
Middle School was ok but I really enjoyed high school. I made some good friends during those years.
For me, I would say high school was okay (while middle school was horrendous.) I can definitely say my life has gotten happier the older I’ve gotten!
i haven’t read either of those books- I’m not sure I want to have nightmares.
Wow that is quite the dystopian novel! Middle school was ok for me. I was the super achiever who’s home life was being torn apart by an acrimonious divorce so on the outside it looked like I was holding it all together. I loved Judy Blume but I not specifically remember Blubber.
I can somehow picture you being popular in middle school- but that just goes to show you, you don’t know what’s really going on with someone, if if their life looks good from the outside.
I don’t think I actually ever read Judy Blume. I was into LOTR at that age. And I DO like Dystopian books!
I think I was bullied more in grade school than in any other grade, actually. I mean, not horribly, thankfully, but I do remember it.
Judy Blume books were the most popular books among pre-teen girls where I grew up! They were a huge part of my adolescence. If you like dystopian books you may like this one.
I loved Judy Blume’s books. Middle school was just ok – I definitely enjoyed high school more.
That novel sounds intense! I’m adding to my “to read” list. Thanks for the suggestion!
If your middle school experience was “okay” it was about 100 times better than mine! I think most people like high school better. I hope you like the book!
I am sure I read Blubber because I read all of Judy Blume’s books back in the day. I don’t remember much about middle school but I do remember having a tough time in 7th grade. I had stomach aches all the time and wanted to go home. I’m sure it was anxiety. Back then, you just had to suck it up. It was hard. I wasn’t bullied then ( I was in high school) but I had a really hard time.
Yes, that sounds like anxiety. Interesting that you mention that, because I had all sorts of stomach issues in high school- again, I’m sure it was emotional.
Well, I skipped 7th grade … I have mostly fond memories of 6th grade but I went to a tiny school. My kids seems to get through middle school OK, but it had its moments!
Oh, that book sounds interesting. I have to be in the right mood to handle dystopian novels, but I usually end of liking them more than I expect. I want to read Chemistry Lessons too.
Seventh grade was high school for us, I kid you not! We had first (no kindergarten) through sixth at the elementary school and seventh through twelfth at the high school. Our student population was too small to have a middle school and we only had 60 students in our graduating class. I remember reading Judy Blume books but don’t remember the details. I don’t recall my sons reading them, though.
I sure did love Judy Blume books too! Middle school not so much. We moved to VA from FL between 7 & 8th grade it was a hard adjustment for me. Everything moved at a much different pace. We were largely unsupervised as well. Not my favorite time in life! LOL
The only thing I can think of that would have made middle school worse for me is if we had moved in the middle of it! I was so shy, I can’t imagine having to start over in a whole new school- ugh.
I do not have many happy memories from grades 5-7. I mean, I’m sure I wasn’t unhappy all the time, but I sure don’t remember good things. Judy Blume is such a gifted writer and she really could see things perfectly from a kid/ teen perspective. I recently reread a lot of her books – I think it was a pandemic thing, so that recently – and I was captivated by her writing.
My favorite JB book is Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret, and I haven’t reread that one in a long time. Now I want to!
I need to read that book! I love dystopian fiction. I’m currently reading Ruth Ginsberg’s last book. it’s excellent, but not a quick read.
Middle school was the worst. I was an awkward, overweight, introverted nerd, and I hated every second. My extrovert, give-no-effs son had no such issues, thank goodness. However, the culture of his middle school was sorely lacking after a change of admin, and I’m glad we are moving on.
I’m glad your son had no issues with middle school! Life is definitely easier for extroverts (and, I think middle school is usually easier to boys.)
Yes, I think you would like this book!
Wow, that book sounds… intense. And intriguing at the same time.
It was both of those things! I really enjoyed it.
I read a lot of dystopian novels so that sounds up my alley — will be adding it to my to-read list although with how things are right now, I feel like it might be a depressing read. ._.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of junior high (or high school, for the most part), haha. College was a great time though!
I would say the book has a slightly hopeful vibe. I think you would like it!
Oooh, ooh, it was me! I was the When She Woke recommendation! 🙂 I am glad you “enjoyed” that book, too. It was just so crazy how close to our present times that book is, when it was written 11 years ago! (Crazy and sad.)
I haaaated middle school. At the end of 8th grade, every girl in my class was crying about ending middle school and I was FLYING HIGH. I was so ready to be done with middle school and onto high school. I am glad your daughter is enjoying middle school, though, so much so that she is sad it’s over! (Also, I just realized that your daughter and my older nephew are the same age then. He just finished 7th grade, too, and he’s very glad to be out for the summer.)
Ha, I figured it was you since no one else claimed that! Yes, that book was disturbing in so many ways, but a great read.
I remember when I ended middle school I was actually afraid to go on to high school- but it turned out to be better. Not like I had an amazing time in high school- but it was better than middle.
I don’t remember much of grammar school. I had some great teachers whom I remember and one of them is retired. Most of my siblings went to the same school and have fond memories of him. Times are different. The 5th and 6th graders in our school are awful. They’re rude and disrespectful. I have great memories from high school and college. Good enough to say that I am glad there was no Facebook nor Instagram. 🙂
Yes, 5th and 6th graders start to get bad! In our school system, elementary only goes through 5th grade so the 6th graders are at the middle school- I think it’s better that way.