Welcome to The Girl Next Door. I'm Erica. And I'm Kelsey. In every episode, we bring our different

perspectives to candid conversations that feel like chatting with good friends. We started this show

years ago when we were next door neighbors and still haven't run out of things to talk and

laugh about yet. Hello, everyone. Today's episode, since we

both officially have some middle schoolers, we are talking all about the changes we notice with our kids,

how it affects school, their social lives, how responsibilities are different, and then just

kind of what our middle schoolers are into lately. So let's start as we so often like to

with reminding ourselves and our listeners what our own middle school years were like. Oh boy.

What was middle school Kelsey like? Oh, man. Don't necessarily really want to revisit.

Not that they were awful or traumatizing, but yeah, what a particular time. It's never anyone's best.

Yeah. It's never anyone's best. Yeah. It's never anyone's best.

I think it is good to revisit it while you have a middle school or to just remember that can be an awkward, hard time. Yes.

Okay, so I attended a middle school in South Austin.

It was sixth through eighth grade.

I do remember initially having a hard time making the transition, probably

just that first week or two, just, you know, after you're at your elementary school, that was

right near my house growing up, just leaving that cozy home environment. It's a big leap. Yeah. And I just

really remember feeling that, just feeling like the school is so big. I feel kind of overwhelmed.

But after that, I enjoyed it fine. Overall, no traumatizing experiences. Like I said, when I think back to

that time, I do just remember feeling so insecure, especially about my clothes and just like all the like

girl primping stuff. Yeah. I just felt inept, I would say.

I don't know what is happening. Yes. I saw these other girls and I was like I feel like I want to be

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