Over dinner the other night, my family agreed that I am crazy now. Not showing up at my ex-boyfriend’s house or calling until he blocks my number crazy, but crazy nevertheless. I am punch-drunk, heat-drunk. Fifteen years ago I spent my summers eating cherries with my cousin Morgan. The red…

My first word was love. I have been saying the word ever since. Eleven years later I learned the word feminism. I have been choking on it ever since. Throughout the subtle persistence of feminism in my life, I never understood how I existed within its reign. Because I look…

No one can tell my mother and I apart on the phone. Sometimes I accidentally get pieces of secrets and gossip until I tell the caller that it is actually Kate, not Rachel. However, despite the constant confusion on the phone, it is really the only place people think we…

I was banned from saying sorry in my gym class freshman year. I was so embarrassed by my inability to throw or catch a ball, I would apologize anytime it came into my general vicinity. After about a month of vomiting apologies, my teacher pulled me aside and said that…

In kindergarten I carried my books like Gabriella did in High School Musical. I would wrap my arms around my coloring books and carry them against my chest. Even before I could read, I was convinced that if I behaved like Gabriella boys would fall in love with me. … …