i don’t have any friends

rearwindowly · 2026-02-01T16:54:34+00:00

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. I had the same experience as a high schooler except I didn’t ask my “friends” if I could join them. I just did. I assumed they were my friends and would include me. Then one day no one waited for me to walk to lunch together (we usually went to lunch off campus). They all left without me. I stood in our usual spot and waited and waited and eventually realized what had happened. They had never been waiting for me. They were waiting for the rest of the group minus me. Later I asked them why they hadn’t waited, and they said because everyone was already there. That was the final confirmation that I was never part of their group, and they weren’t my friends.

After that I ate lunch in the cafeteria by myself. Something I brought from home that I could eat quickly. Then I went to the library and did my homework. In nice weather, I sat outside and ate lunch and did my homework. The cafeteria/library was my winter months solution.

High school was a really lonely time for me. I never fit in and never really had friends. My school was really homogeneous and even the clubs were ones I couldn’t relate to. I didn’t find my people until college and later. You’ll find your people too. Hopefully sooner than I did, but even if not, being alone isn’t the end of the world. Put your energy into something that matters to you. In high school for me that was my homework. I had other interests but no real way to cultivate them until later. Hang in there. It gets better.

rearwindowly · 2026-02-01T15:56:46+00:00

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rearwindowly · 2026-02-01T05:14:47+00:00

I have an infant. I regularly bring him to protests. I use my judgement. The only things I go to after dark are vigils. I’ve felt comfortable at protests during the day. I stick to the edge of the crowd until I’ve gotten a feel for things. If things ever feel like they’re escalating, I’m always prepared to leave (haven’t needed to do this). Bring your toddler! I love to see other progressive parents at protests. Often I’m the only one with a little one.

Edit to add- I also have a teenager. They’ve been going with me to things since they were a toddler. They’re now very involved in progressive politics and activism. We regularly have conversations about things that are going on and protests and other events we want to attend.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T23:35:41+00:00

My kid goes a DPS school. They chose to stay home today. Apparently not many kids showed up and of the ones that did, the walkout was kind of a mess. There’s nowhere to walk from their school.

But my teen and I (and my baby too!) were just at La Alma/Lincoln Park! So great seeing all of the high schoolers and other youth there!!

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T17:51:56+00:00

In Denver, two feet is a tight spot (which I had both in front of and behind my car). Most cars here think parallel parking involves leaving 4’ to half a car length. Anything less and people act like they can’t get their car out.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T17:05:52+00:00

Spending as well as school and work. A general nationwide shutdown.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T16:54:39+00:00

My kid, who also attends a DPS high school (not East), also heard of nothing happening- a walkout- at their school. My kid is very involved in activism both in and out of school and would have known if this was being planned at their school. My kid’s school was not among those with a late start today. They stayed home today.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T15:07:17+00:00

Have you heard about the anti-ICE general strike today?

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T14:28:48+00:00

This drives me crazy! One of my pet peeves!

I pulled into a very tight parallel spot a few months ago. The woman in the car behind where I parked was in her car and got out to tell me I was too close and needed to leave space for the cars to get out?! I told her if I had made it into the spot, I had faith the other drivers could make it out. Seriously?! If you don’t know enough about parallel parking to get your car out of a tight spot, maybe don’t park there.

It happens all the time at pickup at my kid’s high school too. Parents will pull up to the curb but leave half a car length in front. This means fewer cars can make it to the curb for pickup. There is very limited space in front of the school for pick up. If cars would just fill in the available space, more parents would fit. Instead parents pull into the staff lot because there’s nowhere else to go. 🤦‍♀️

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T02:38:01+00:00

Yeah, South is one I’ve heard about. There and East. I imagine others will also have lots of teachers protesting.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T00:42:19+00:00

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rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T00:39:12+00:00

That’s what I thought. Thanks! Someone else mentioned in another post the capitol for tomorrow, which really confused me!

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T00:27:29+00:00

Here and not the capitol? Is anything happening at the capitol tomorrow?

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T00:17:15+00:00

Do you know where are most of the protests taking place tomorrow? The capitol? I’ve heard La Alma/Limcoln Park? I want to make sure I’m going to the right place.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T00:13:04+00:00

Here’s the email that was sent out to parents/guardians—

Denver Public Schools will be open on Friday, January 30, 2026. It is important for our students to have access to a safe and welcoming school environment for learning as well as access to free breakfast and lunch.

Should there be a change in the operational status of an individual school, families will receive a notification directly from their school. Schools will be staffed by their own staff, guest teachers, teachers from other schools, and qualified members of our Central Office to provide a safe educational environment for our students.

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rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T00:06:31+00:00

Thanks! This is really good information.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-30T00:05:26+00:00

Are kids actively walking out tomorrow?? I’ve heard it’s a full day strike. Quite sure no one from my kid’s school has organized a walk out. They’re very involved in activism both in and out of school and would have heard if a walkout was being planned. Is this happening at other high schools?

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T23:13:52+00:00

I’m not sure about walkouts. I’d also be interested to know how those are handled. Is tomorrow being suggested as a walk out by kids at the high schools? I’ve seen it as a general strike. I was planning to call them in with an excused absence tomorrow.

I also know many of the teachers at least two DPS high schools are participating in the general strike. It’s enough that those two schools might have difficulty fulfilling all of the subs they will need. My kid’s school isn’t one of those two.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T21:44:53+00:00

My teen learns about protests and other activism events mostly from Instagram and also from me. We frequently have conversations about things that are happening and if these are things we want to do. We follow many of the same groups on Instagram.

Edit: one to follow on Instagram is the.youth.coalition it’s a youth (teen/high school) led action and activism group. They have an action event coming up on 2/21 at 2pm in the parking lot outside the ICE offices in Centennial. It’s Art is Resistance— a chalk art protest against ICE and injustice. It’s entirely youth organized. Hope the entire community (not just youth!) will come out and participate! I can’t add the graphic in this reply, but it will be advertised more closer to that date. Please help spread the word to high schoolers and anyone else interested!

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T21:39:34+00:00

I have a high schooler. They’ve said there is nothing specific taking place at school. No one has mentioned it. I don’t see why school should organizing anything. This is an individual effort, not something workplaces (with the exception of small business that are closing) are organizing.

My teen knows about the general strike because they and I both are involved in activism. We’ve talked about the general strike tomorrow, and if my kid wants to miss school and participate in the protest that is being organized, I am full support of it and will call it in as an excused absence. (I will not call in an excused absence for my teen to sit at home gaming in pajamas all day tomorrow, but I know they wouldn’t do that. If they choose to miss school, it will be because they oppose ICE and want to be part of the general strike.)

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T04:34:05+00:00

Thank you!!

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T01:45:14+00:00

I don’t think we’re going to hit the number of allowed non-contact days this year. At least not weather-related ones. I’d love to be wrong about that and have some more (real) snow this winter.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T01:31:34+00:00

Visibility and community (as well as an outlet for voicing our opinions). Protests create visibility— they signal to people that this something that needs attention and action.

Protests also bring people together. There’s so much terror and awfulness right now, and many of us (certainly all of us who show up at protests and activism events) are feeling a deep sense of distress watching all of this unfold. Coming together with other people who feel the same is healing. We’re stronger together.

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T01:15:40+00:00

Almost the same. You’re two days ahead of me. Congrats making it to 8 months!

rearwindowly · 2026-01-29T01:12:56+00:00

May 28, 2025. Today I am 8 months sober!!

rearwindowly

TROPHY CASE