An Off Year

by Claire Zulkey

Cecily has always done everything as she was supposed to: taken the right classes, gotten the right grades, applied to the right colleges. But after a lifetime of following the rules, she surprises everyone by arriving for her freshman year of college . . . and turning around. There are infinite possibilities for Cecily's unexpected gap year. She could volunteer, or travel around the world - but, for now, Cecily is content to do absolutely nothing. What follows is a year of snarkily observed self-doubt and selfdiscovery during which Cecily must ask herself, for the first time, what does she really want to do with her life?

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, New Adult, Teen, Family, Contemporary

224 pages, Hardcover

First published August 29, 2009

Reviews

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I must talk about the cover first. Pretty eye catching but maybe too much huh? I'm here to tell you that main character does have fuzzy slippers and a pink rug in her room but of course this is not what the book is about. Well the main character does sort of scuffle around in those slippers, but I didn't read the book because of the cover but the premise.

Cecily is a normal smart girl and is set to go to college. She has spent all summer preparing, buying, and packing to set herself up for this chapter in her life. She and her dad drive together to the college and they are at her dorm room door, but she just can't do it. Cecily does something that nobody can fathom; she has decided not to go to college, at least for now.

I'm not sure why I kind of responded well to this book. For some reason I thought it was going to be more fun and light-hearted but it wasn't. I think what I appreciated was that it was realistic. Cecily can be kind of infuriating because there is no clear cut reason she gives for why she just decides not to go school and have a gap year. She doesn't do anything particularly special either, but again this was okay for me. I think as a society we are kind of obsessed with having so much going on and though it’s important to be productive, people shouldn’t do something for the sake of looking busy. I think that may have been the appeal for me because not everybody has epiphanies and great things planned for themselves. Real life is not that well planned out. Then there is the dynamic of the family, which is not ideal but definitely realistic. Cecily is the youngest of three. She has a brother away at college and an older sister who lives at home and has already graduated and is looking for a job. Then there is her dad, who is a college professor, so you can imagine that being surrounded by so many college people can make her decision to have a free year inconceivable.

The novel also explores how people can drift apart and by the same token come back together. Even though this not a "college" book per say, there is a lot of college talk so it feels like the reader is experiencing some of the college feel without having the character be in the actual environment. There was so many topics touched at but not fully answered and I think this may frustrate some readers.

With that in mind I can't highly recommend it to everyone because it really won't be for everybody. People going away to college or thinking about going to college may get something positive out of the book. This is the first book that I have encountered that even breaches the topic of a gap year so it gets brownie points for that alone, and I'm interested to see what else this author has to offer.

Side note: Now this point is irrelevant to the actually writing of the book, but I can’t let this slide. Cecily has an old friend who goes to Harvard but then transfers to the University of Kansas. When they talk about the school together they talk about the chant the school has: Rock Chalk Jayhawk UK! WRONG! It's KU not UK. UK is the University of Kentucky. I live in a town where people follow Kansas college basketball religiously, so I easily caught that. What makes it worse is that it's mentioned more than once, and they even talk about the guy's shirt saying UK. *puts head in hands in disbelief* It shows a lack of research on the author's part. Again I know it's not a big deal, but my gosh it bothered me to pieces.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot put this down nor quit reading it over and over again! I recommend everyone buy 5 copies! This book will solve all your problems and make you laugh and laugh.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After years of good grades and preparation, Cecily stands outside the door to her freshman dorm room--and promptly turns around to go home. What happened? Even she can't explain it, but fortunately her dad is understanding enough to take her back home and sort it all out later. "Later" stretches into months, and Dad's patience slowly runs out. Cecily has no idea what caused her to turn around at the very last moment, and even with the help of her friends, a psychologist, and a college counselor, the best she can come up with is that the time was wrong. But taking a year off isn't exactly right, either--Cecily is bored and frustrated with her directionlessness, and doesn't know where to begin fixing it. Her frustrations are straining the good relationship she has with her dad, and what hope can there be for the already-hostile relationship with her sister? This year is Cecily's chance to sort things out and get back on track--if only she knew where, or what, the track was.

Cecily's voice is full of depression, anxiety, and frustration. Watching friends grow and change in their own college experiences is a part of growing up, but without having that experience herself, Cecily finds it increasingly difficult to relate. This isn't a topic frequently addressed in teen books--college has so often become the Next Step that nobody really thinks about not going, or if they do, it's for a Clear Reason. Not to imply that turning around at the dorm room door is a great decision, but this is a great book to address those feelings of "why am I really doing this?" that can haunt high-school graduates. While Cecily is a bit brattish, it's easy to understand where that emotion is coming from.

[Disclaimer: I took a semester off in the middle of my sophomore year, involving phone calls to my parents begging to let me come home and stay there, so I do identify, at least partly, with Cecily. I could have used this book then to at least confirm that I wasn't the only one for whom college was a poor fit at that moment.]

[Jen Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story, of a girl who suddenly decides she doesn't want to go to college, hit home with me. My parents tried to talk me into taking a year off before I started college, to travel, volunteer, discover what I wanted to study, etc. I didn't, because I was so caught up in the machinations of school applying, grades, etc. I ended up really regretting that choice (and really hating college the first time around).

An adult reading this book is going to find the protagonist extremely sulky, spoiled, and immature. However, a teen reading this book, especially one in her Senior year of school, is going to find a fear-reducing and consoling examination of that seemingly magical transition from high school kid to college student. The examination leads to what most of us know: there is no magic, it's awkward, and you're going to feel like a loser some or a lot of the time.

I wish this book had been around in the Fall of 1994 :)

I loved the voice of all of the characters - very refreshing and authentic.

[The Library Lady · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept expecting something to happen--for Cecily to grow up. But the only difference between the day she goes off to college for the first time and the day a year later when she goes back and stays is that one year has passed. What a waste of her time and mine!

[Nathan Rabin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it so much I blurbed the holy living fuck out of it!

[carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story of what it's really like going (or not going) to college for the first time

[Czarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

i admit, i intentionally delayed finishing this book, albeit how short it was, because i didn't want it to end. i was a college drop-out and like cecily, i mostly just stayed at home doing nothing & having no idea what to do in life. it was probably the lowest point in my life up to date, and i would've needed this book then, but it also means a lot to me now, because i'm also going through a tough time. and maybe that's why i didn't want this to end, because i wanted to be confused & do nothing with cecily. but turns out, i have to finish this, i just have to find out how this ended, because life goes on, and i just need something to make me feel hopeful again.

this book isn't plot-driven, but character-driven, and cecily changing & trying to figure things out has kept me until the end. i mean, it's not that stellar eye-of-the-tiger-playing-in-the-background kind of inspirational, but it has helped me think about what i've been doing with my life. a tiny wake-up call, if you will. and granted, cecily was privileged & was mostly pushed by her dad, but i get it. sometimes, it's not so bad when adults point you to the direction where you should be headed, because everything is too overwhelming when you're a confused & clueless teenager. hell, i'm 23 and i'm still confused & clueless. but what i really wanted to get out of this book is that you have to GET. OUT. OF. YOUR. COMFORT. ZONE. and it's going to be scary & you'll feel stupid at first, and that's okay. you'll eventually get the hang of it, and you'll be fine. also, there's nothing wrong with starting out later than your friends. it's your life, take as much time as you need to figure things out. worry about yourself first instead of what other people are saying about you.

so this has gone on a long affirmation post for myself instead of being an actual book review. sorry. but just so you know, this book has a special place in my heart. and if you're feeling confused & unmotivated about life, i suggest you read this, too.

[Alea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew right away when I read the blurb for this book it was made for me. And I was so happy that once I was done reading it that it provided exactly what I was looking for. For me the story was very realistic and relatable. I sort of unknowingly took a year off after I graduated from college and literally did nothing (I watched so many repeats of Scrubs they actual started repeating back to ones I had seen that same year!). I know that some people might have problems reading a story about a girl that really doesn't do anything for a year but for me it was so honest and real. It really made me think back on that time in my life.

I feel like this book could help a lot of people that are thinking about college or what's next for them in their life. Cecily takes the time to think whereas most of us just go onto college and do it because we think that's what we are supposed to do. Whereas for some reason Cecily stops herself and decides she's not ready. I think the characters in the book from Cecily's therapist to her career counselor to her friends all help make the point that most of us don't know what we are doing and are faking it until we make it. Just knowing that I think can make it easier for people.

I really liked the range of secondary characters in the book from Cecily's older sister who is just finding a job after college and trying to avoid Cecily to her father that feels helpless but wants to help her, to her brother and his girlfriend and Cecily's friends she feels like she's growing apart from. The all helped Cecily understand something about herself and helped her grow.

Because of my personal connection to this book, for me it was something special. I hope others can recognize themselves or someone they know in this book as well and get something out of it.

[Oumiie · Rating 3 out of 5]

AN OFF YEAR, by Claire Zulkey

This book, An off year, is about Cecily~! Who doesn't really know what to do, with her life. She is confused! She had left her, school, but she unfortunately came back for her Last Grade! She didn't go to school, for a lot of years, due to the fact that she travels a lot! AROUND THE WORLD! I won't tell you a lot, read to find the rest!

In this I would really love to be Cecily friend, cause she has a really great personality and she's really nice, but she sometimes has a hard time, socializing with people . In a part of the book she says

" Sometimes it made me sad to think about how little Germaine and I did get along. I know that most siblings, even those immature like me, would say, "Well, I hate my brother or sister, but I really love her." I was glad for Germaine, and also hoping that once we weren't around each other, maybe we'd be able to cultivate on of those "Now that my sister and I hardly ever see each other, I love Her!!!" said Cecily!
p.g 138

This phrase helped me love, Cecily more, because she wanted to change, she wanted to be nice with everyone and be more responsible with young's!!!!
" Their was this other part where she said " i came to Harvard, for you" I think it was really nice of her to say that". pg. 90

I really loved the book! The book, helped me think, of how to treat a little sister, and to not have an OFF YEAR, OR A GAB YEAR!!!! Theirs a phrase they said in the back of the book, which helped me understand. The book, gives you advice, of what you should do in life!!!

I would recommend this book, to Girls!!! Girls who do not really love school, (people like me) and BIG SISTERS, so they could confidence in life, and to help her understand about collage life, and how it works! I think the book is JUST RIGHT!!!!!!!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book resides in the young adult shelf, which is wonderful, because that designation boosts the quality of literature there by many percentage points. However, labeling An Off Year as YA will also likely discourage many adults from reading it, as will the Barbie-pink cover. But let's change the color in our minds: this book is like a kiwi fruit -- a quick snack that's a burst of mental vitamins.

Cecily is all ready for college -- until she gets there, and turns around and goes home. No, she's not ready for college, but she does not know what she is ready for, so she takes a year off. She does not spend that year nursing orphaned refugees back to health or hosteling through Europe, but she does talk to a lot of people about life and expectations, and she does grow up a bit.

If a book is going to be talk-heavy, the dialogue needs to be gold-standard, and Zulkey achieves that. When you stop seeing words on a page and start hearing the characters talk in your head, when an author does not need much elaboration with her dialogue ("she laughed" or "he said through mouthfuls of hamburger") but has crafted the strings of words so they truly sound like speech, you know something amazing is going on.

[Lenore Appelhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cecily did nothing. NOTHING. That’s why I’m surprised I was not bored out of my skull reading about her year off. You see, even though Cecily lacks drive, she can banter with the best of them and the writing sparkles with subtle, sly humor. She banters with her father (resigned to Cecily’s inertia), her siblings (envious that she can get away with doing nothing as the baby of the family), her shrink, her career councilor, her best friend (increasing distant and slutty as her year at college progresses) and best of all with sort of crush but not really Mike (who should’ve had more scenes).

The novel touches a lot on the expectations and motivations associated with the college years, and Mike’s story added another unconventional choice to the mix. Here’s a charming, well-liked young man who impresses everyone by being accepted to Harvard and then “throws it all away” by transferring to the University of Kansas mid-year to be with his girlfriend. Even though Mike mistakenly calls KU by the initials UK, I was still pleased to see KU’s battle cry “Rock Chalk Jayhawk” in a YA novel. Never thought I’d see the day.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this very lifeless. Some books have protagonists that aren't relateable because they're too interesting, but I can't relate to Cecelia because she's too dull. She decides not to go to college as she's about to move into her dorm room, because . . . why? Meh, who knows? And given her tepid inner monologue, who cares? But what made me quit on it was the terrible sense of time. Because Zulkey wanted to do a whole month per chapter (and the chapters aren't very long), everything happens at an unbelievable slow pace. I say "unbelievable" not as an intensifier, but because it's unrealistic. She talks to her best high school friend several times, but never asks what classes she's taking until Thanksgiving break? What? I read less than 60 pages of this, so maybe it gets better, but I'd rather spend my time reading something that does not both bore and annoy me.

[laaaaames · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved loved loved this. But also it was very hard to read. I had a lot of Off Years myself. And no one but me and rude people seemed to care. And I wish my tale had been less like it actually was and more like Cecily's.

I know a book is good when it strikes at big and little truths, just basic things, right at your core, that are as much a part of your history as anything.

I'm afraid I'm not making much sense, but I think this book is really important in pushing a lot of things people don't necessarily talk about with regards to college and growing up. Also it's quite witty and clever, but never too much for its own good, and its heart is so firmly in the right place I could hug it.

Read: 116

[Madison · Rating 1 out of 5]

After reading the reviews and description of this book i thought it was going to be so good and i had such high hopes.. I was wrong. Not only is there no real sense of time, but there seems to be no point. Yes some could argue that its about a girl on her year off figuring things out, i agree, but nothing happens, and what is written and described doesn't have any real point to it. The only reason i even finished the book was because it was so small, however after finishing it, it was a waste of time. The reason i wanted to read this book is because i am in similar shoes, even though the main character and i are so vastly different, just like our situations, I thought as the book was described that in some way i could relate.

[Elizabeth deWolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been meaning to pick this up for a while and grabbed it on a whim at the library the other day... and then read it in two sittings. I really loved it, and more than anything wish something like this was around when I was in college. She manages to hit that fear of not fitting in/not being a partyer/losing touch with high school friends/not knowing what on EARTH to do with your life. And yeah, sometimes the main character is annoying but... that's how it is. I wished for a bit more resolution at the end, or more of a glimpse into what happens after the year is up.. but I also love that this isn't a series, that it's a standalone book about exactly what it says it is: an off year.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great. I love the writing style--so open, so honest, so no-frills--and the topic was unexpected (the cover doesn't appeal to me in the slightest). I wonder what it would be like to read this book before attending college, rather than 15 years after, when I don't actually remember the panic of heading off to school. Still, the panic and anxiety rang completely true, even if I can't personally recall it! Perhaps that's what made this book so well written.

[Mark Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to score a galley copy of this fantastic first novel from Claire Zulkey and I loved it! Cecily is a very relatable protagonist, one whose journey of self-discovery is entirely free of the sorts of cliches that you so typically find in stories with this particular subject matter.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Zulkey is the funniest writer, character for character, in America today. Off Year is hilarious and touching, like a young New Wave female Sedaris, the wacky and off-beat of Cecily's journeys are unforgettable, for old adults too. Jump on this bandwagon, you won't be sorry.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this one off of one of those "best YA books of the year" lists. It didn't hold my attention though. It felt hollow. Which can happen A LOT with YA. I guess I'm kind of wanting something a little more riveting/immersive.

[Erin Shea Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already know this book will be my favorite of all time.

[McKinlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

the main character reminds me SO MUCH of my best friend which is probably why i liked it so much.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

sometimes I have a hard time relating to a protagonist. I found Cecily to be too whiny and "youngest child" for me to really like her

[lemonegrabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was alright, main characters a little unlikeable but i guess it’s because she’s meant to be relatable

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cecily is standing in front of her new dorm room at Kenyon College in Ohio when she has a sudden epiphany – she’s not ready for this. Her dad takes a few moments to process this and then asks, “Are you sure?” before taking her back home to Chicago. When she gets home she’s equal parts relieved and freaked out, because what everyone wants to know – Cecily included – is “What now?” Because she herself doesn’t know, Cecily tries to avoid the question, tries to avoid her friends and family (who keep asking her), and spends a few weeks hanging out in her pajamas and spending time with her dog, Superhero.

When Cecily finally finds the courage to call her best friend, Kate reassures her that taking a “gap year” is all the rage – that she should travel, write a novel, do something amazing before she commits to college. Cecily’s somewhat encouraged, but in the end isn’t motivated to do any of those things. And after awhile her dad sends her to a therapist, so she can talk to someone else (someone impartial) about what’s going on. Later she talks to a college counselor, gets a part-time job at her dad’s university, audits an art history class, visits her brother at school in Madison, and then her sister (who until recently was a college graduate, living at home unemployed) at her new apartment in the city – all the while trying to find out what college is really like, and whether she’ll find herself and/or the answer to her question (what do I do with myself?). It’s kind of a rocky journey – one that ends without the kinds of decisive answers that Cecily is looking for. But at the end she’s ready, despite her fears and misgivings, to give college the old college try.

Like Kate, I hoped that Cecily would do something a little more amazing with her time off than she did. Sitting around the house watching TV all year isn’t really all that relaxing – especially when you’ve got people pressuring you to figure out what it is that you want from life. But I really understood where Cecily was coming from. Most of us, most of the time, live our lives without really examining them – we go to school, we go to work, we get married, we have children, we do the things we’re supposed to do. Occasionally we have a moment to think about what’s going on and it can be terrifying, to question “Is this really what I want? What am I doing?” Cecily gets a chance to ask the uncomfortable questions and really think about the uncomfortable answers and then find the strength and courage to continue.

[Jordyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

After going through the college application process and showing up at her college dorm room, Cecily does the unexpected -- she turns around and heads home, leaving her freshman year of college untouched. Without thinking about it or making plans, she ends up taking a gap year as she tries to figure out just why she suddenly felt that starting college was impossible for her.

I have to be upfront and tell you that not much happens in this book. Cecily's year is one of ennui and is broken up by month as she narrates, with her quirky and dry wit, the nothingness that is her life. Her dad is perplexed at why she's chosen not to go to school but, surprisingly, he doesn't try to change her mind. Her older, college-graduate sister is jealous of the time she gets to spend doing nothing, while Cecily herself is about as confused as the rest of them. She hadn't planned on ditching college, but once she does she doesn't second-guess herself. She watches as friends turn into "college clones" and becomes annoyed with the passive-aggressive hints her parents are sending her way about heading back to school the next year. Mostly though, she does nothing.

And yet that doesn't stop the book from being awesome. Cecily -- unsure and bucking what's expected of her -- is refreshing and realistic. There's an honesty here and as Cecily looks at her choices and why she did what she did, the topic of the future and what lies ahead is addressed so incredibly well. Cecily is accused of being lazy, spoiled, and self-absorbed... all of which is somewhat true. But she's also honest in confronting her flaws and unafraid of not knowing what happens next. The secondary characters that people the novel, from her dad to her siblings and friends, are all unique and realistic in their own ways. Her older sister has yet to find her first post-college job while her jet-set mother thinks that the gap year Cecily's taking is absolutely glamorous and that she should do something amazing, like write a book or travel.

But Cecily didn't think that far and she doesn't necessarily want to do something amazing, she just wants to figure out what happens next, which is the overwhelming theme of this book. What happens next? What does the future hold? Where do you want to be and how do you get there? The book explores these themes with realism and humor, making it stand out from the crowd.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

"An Off Year" is the year in the life of Cecily (whose last name escapes me), an eighteen year old who decides to forgo her first year of college the minute she gets to her dorm. Supposedly this is not typical behavior for Cecily, she is not a drama queen. She spends the following twelve months justifying and demystifying her decision. The story is realistic, but a good portion of American teenagers might have a hard time relating to a privileged kid from the suburban sanctuary just outside of Chicago. What might reach readers is the greater metaphor Claire Zulkey has created: What happens when you're just not ready to make a major change or decision in your life? How will your family and friends react? How will you spend your time? None of the answers have to be profound, but what happens in between can be surprising, or not! While this is not an action-packed story, it is an interesting character study and funny in a real, unforced way. Someone is quoted on the back describing Cecily as "a delicious love child of Dorothy Parker"...a lot of people say a lot of nice things on the back of books, but I think the comment is not too far off the mark, except that "Cess", as her brother calls her(ewww), is subdued compared to DP.

Ok, advocate moment: page 105, "My school supplied four counselors to serve hundreds of kids in my graduating class. Mine was named Robin, and I never even found out for myself if Robin was a man or a woman. But it could have been worse..."(Zulkey, 105). Ummm...why is it a bad thing to be gender-neutral or ambiguous. What could have been better? Will his or her gender affect which school you get into? I just thought it was a trite and insensitive way to get a laugh. There is also a moment when Cecily's brother emerges from his bedroom after a shower and a shave looking like himself but "gayer". Eh, really? Just doin my job ;)

[Stephanie A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cover blurb from John Green says that this novel "should be read by everyone who's ever felt paralyzed thinking about the future." There's no better way to state it, but GoodReads gets my personal reaction anyway.

An Off Year features a girl who gets to college on Move-In Day and abruptly decides she can't do it -- so her dad lets her turn around and go home with no plans whatsoever, whereupon she proceeds to spend most of the next year doing nothing but co-existing with her family, playing with her dog, helping out around the house a little and watching TV. And just in case that isn't familiar enough, her recently-graduated-from-college sister is living at home as well, while she looks for a job.

If I'd thought I could get away with it, I would have quit college the first day too. I certainly wasn't ready, and it's easy to sympathize with her abrupt decision to hit the pause button. As it was, I actually ended up taking a semester off later on, and I dealt with all the same feelings she does: at first it's great to be free of the scary thing, but then you start to feel purposeless, almost cut off from life itself, and wonder what you're doing in this interim state before you go back. The way she starts to lose contact with her best friend adds an extra sting.

Fortunately, being as it's a YA novel and this state cannot last indefinitely, she does eventually start to get her life back in order, and that's inspiring in its own way. Aside from what I felt were a couple of unnecessary party scenes, this book was a pitch perfect look at a very ordinary and consequently rarely explored (in fiction) post-graduation path. Cecily may not have the best response to her situation, but it's reassuring to have proof that not everyone is psyched to rush off to college - even though it may seem like that's all your peers talk about.

[Jacki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book explores a great concept: taking a year off between college and high school to assess what you really want from life. The narrative voice is winning and quirky, if not actually laugh-out-loud funny, so the book is extremely readable. Character development is decent.

Unfortunately, none of the characters are really likable, starting with the heroine. Her journey of self-discovery is completely passive and contains exactly zero epiphanies. She searches her soul, ponders why she decided not to go immediately to college, and consistently arrives at the answer, "I don't know." She takes no initiative in figuring out what she wants. Instead, her initially patient but increasingly stressed father forces her to see two professionals, look at college guides, and visit her brother's campus. He even does all the paperwork for her deferment at the college she planned to attend. By the end of the book, I felt that her eventual life decision was reached through inertia, not self-discovery.

I do think the scenes and musings on the college experience make the book slightly more worthwhile, though. YA literature does little to explore the concept and culture of college. Rather, it treats college as a sort of afterlife to high school: it's a nebulous concept that awaits you after graduation, but as a YA character, you may not exit high school.

Recommend to: Age 14+, the indecisive, someone looking for an easy read

[Jessica S · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Off Year tells the story of Cecily, a teenager who, upon arriving at her chosen college, decides she no longer wants to attend college, but would rather take a year off to figure her life out. Rather than just pointing readers to Cecily’s reasoning for making this quick decision, author Claire Zulkey takes readers on Cecily’s journey of discovery herself that flows smoothly from one page to the next.


Cecily’s character is both quirky and inquisitive, while being completely believable. Like many teenagers in the process of or ready to take the college plunge, Cecily is just unsure what her life holds and whether or not college should be a part of it. Having once been a college student, I was able to connect with and understand how one may always assume they are going to attend college, but when the time comes to move in and start classes, what once was such an assumed experience, begins to be one that is questioned.


Zulkey writes a superb story that interweaves plenty of emotions that readers will be able connect with, but also one that examines the fears and stress that can arise when it comes to college. Rather than making college seem like a fun filled paradise, Zulkey shows how the comfort of high school and the relationships formed there are not always taken to college and just brought to the next level. College is a journey that is different from one person to the next, good or bad.