As cars whizzed by on the freeway, I felt my Prius shudder and groan – one of the cons of having a 60 mpg car is that it isn’t the sturdiest of vehicles. The cool, Cali wind softly tousled my hair while country music played in the background – ahhh perfection.
The neon green clock read 7:30 pm but the day was long gone. Blistering heat and smog had been replaced with a soothing chill and flashing lights of half-asleep drivers (cream of LA county’s crop). I slowly pulled up to my house’s driveway determined to catch the next song (Cole Swindel’s She Had Me At Heads Carolina) and more than ready to burst out singing – that is if you could call it “singing.” I could smell the delicious streams of smoky, tangy Korean barbecue flowing from my mother’s kitchen when my phone’s screen lit up with a text from a friend.
“How are you?”
I was about to respond with my usual “Pretty good, hbu” but something stopped me. For one reason or another, my friend had taken the time to check in on me. Could I not at least return the favor by being transparent? To be frank, my day had been pretty darn crappy.

At an online schools, it is definitely a challenge to find and maintain healthy relationships with other peers. I remember when I first came to the school – I was nervous that I wasn’t going to make any friends. Since then, I have been blown away by the genuinity and warmth of the OHS community. Nevertheless, the physical gap between us can create problems.
In the midst of midterms, college apps, extracurriculars, sports, hobbies, family, friends, and so much more, it is hard – even, at times, impossible – to be honest with yourself and the people you care most about. It is so easy to put on the facade that “everything is going amazing.” Yet, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Yes, we have our “good” days when everything seems to be clicking just right but those days are soon followed by periods of stress, anxiety, and brokenness.
I want to challenge myself and y’all to be real (no, I’m not talking about the social media app BeReal although it is quite nice). Check in with your friends – even a simple “How are you doing?” can make all the difference. And when others check in with you, do me and yourself a favor. Be honest. That doesn’t mean pour out every single annoyance, grievance, and grudge onto their poor ears. But don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, because they’ll appreciate it and you’ll be in a better place because of it.