Afterword

When I read these stories, I see part of myself in them-even when they are about things that Ive never been through. I think about the knowledge that the student telling the story gained from the experience, and why he or she wanted to share the story with others. I consider what my response might have been (or was) in similar situations, and what I would do now, knowing about their experience. Sometimes its the story that touches me, reminding me of something that has happened in my own life or to one of my friends. At other times its the storyteller who catches my attention-the person behind the experience, who is a lot like me and has faced similar choices and situations. Would I be able to recover my sense of self if I had been abused by my father, like Leigh, or absorbed in my friends, like Deb? How would I respond to the kind of pressure felt by Raj? Ive never had cancer, like Tiffani, or a mental illness, like Allison, but their stories make me wonder how I would react in a crisis and how others who are in that kind of situation might like to be treated. Two important things I take away from these interviews are the sense that everyone around me has a life composed of many experiences that I cant begin to guess at when I pass them on the street or sit next to them in class, and the knowledge that sharing these experiences can bring our community closer.

Last Modified 12/22/2005