So grateful for one of our long time girls sharing a piece of one of her college essays - about her years in girls group! What a gift, on so many levels.
 | "I have been a part of a teen girls’ discussion group for almost three years. The girls who make up the group change every year, but the feeling of sisterhood never does. Each year we start out as strangers, but we skip the small talk and get to know each other’s opinions, values, aspirations, and life experiences right away. It feels like a powerful remedy to our modern world of superficial social media-based interactions. |
The first year I started attending I hardly talked, instead preferring to listen to the other girls’ stories and let the lessons they've learned wash over me until I learned them, too. Sometimes, though, I felt compelled to share my own stories. Each time I shared, I'd been bottling up my thoughts long enough that I knew how to articulate them when I started speaking. This taught me the art of listening deeply, and how it can create better empathy and connection. I also learned from others in the group that when I articulated my own stories in a vulnerable way, it encouraged the others to be vulnerable, too. Before that, I didn't know that I could empower others to be their true selves just by being authentic myself...
In our group, we talk about what’s important to us, not what’s trending. We lift each other up by offering praise and advice. We invite others to be vulnerable by sharing our own vulnerabilities. In order for the group to “work,” every single person has to agree to make everyone else feel comfortable. If even one person is judgmental or rude, no one feels safe to share their true thoughts.
We celebrate each others’ successes and grieve each others’ losses. We talk about gender stereotypes, healthy relationships, body image, social media, stress, self-care, and dozens of other issues that most teenagers desperately want to discuss but never have a chance to. We create a space, together, that is right for us.
At an age where our female peers are sometimes described as catty, overly-emotional, self-obsessed, superficial, or gossipy, it’s important for us to be able to counter those stereotypes by acknowledging our strengths. All of us have different goals and different backgrounds, but we’re brought together by the shared desire for community and growth.
I have taken the lessons I’ve learned about myself and others from my girls’ group and used them to make more meaningful relationships in the rest of my life. I hope I have inspired others to seek out deeper conversations and connections."
We celebrate each others’ successes and grieve each others’ losses. We talk about gender stereotypes, healthy relationships, body image, social media, stress, self-care, and dozens of other issues that most teenagers desperately want to discuss but never have a chance to. We create a space, together, that is right for us.
At an age where our female peers are sometimes described as catty, overly-emotional, self-obsessed, superficial, or gossipy, it’s important for us to be able to counter those stereotypes by acknowledging our strengths. All of us have different goals and different backgrounds, but we’re brought together by the shared desire for community and growth.
I have taken the lessons I’ve learned about myself and others from my girls’ group and used them to make more meaningful relationships in the rest of my life. I hope I have inspired others to seek out deeper conversations and connections."
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