I find myself really wanting to celebrate them. To truly honor the completion of this school year and everything they went through to get here. I can almost hear that familiar voice in my head saying, "You baby them," or, "Oh my God, why do they deserve to celebrate the end of 7th or 11th grade? That's just a normal thing all kids do. You're so soft!

It fascinates me how much we overcomplicate everything. And honestly, it’s not entirely our fault. Our systems and conditioning are built that way. Filling out a government form can feel confusing even for the savviest native English speakers. Finding a new apartment, applying for a new job, navigating modern life - these things are overwhelming.