School Leavers

Picture a psychologist’s office. Inside, there’s a 16-year-old girl. She’s sobbing. No, her parents haven’t divorced and her BF hasn’t unfriended her. She’s crying about the dress she wants to wear to her school formal. Her parents won’t buy it. Why? Because it costs $3000.

True story. It was relayed to me by one of Australia’s finest psychologists and, no, he didn’t counsel with, “Come on, Princess. Get a grip,” which would have been my response.

Sure, it’s more than 20 years since I went to my school formal in an approximation of Cyndi Lauper’s finest get-up (I may or may not have worn rags in my hair). And, yes, I appreciate that events have become a little more sophisticated than my big night, the highlight of which was sneaking out to drink wine pinched from the kitchen by a roadie from the band – ironically called The Snatch.

Continue reading "Cinderella syndrome is way out of hand" »

“Gap” is an unlikely sort of word to describe the year you spend as seventeen or eighteen-year-old school-leaver “figuring yourself out”.

Then again, it’s an appropriate euphemism for the black spots you may experience after a series of large nights spent hamming it up in exotic locations with a bunch of strangers, very little money and no real idea of what you’re doing.

Or a good description of the waning savings and slightly stunted career-path progression you may notice when comparing yourself to friends who’ve opted to stay at home, when you return.

Continue reading "Get lost and go find yourself" »