IN SEVENTH GRADE I started at a new school. On the first day, I was so anxious to make friends, I brought a family-size bag of Skittles to homeroom so I could pass them out and entice my new classmates to talk to me. "Do you like Skittles?" I asked. Kids would nod, cautiously.
In her book "Why Not Me?", Mindy Kaling recounts her experience of starting at a new school in seventh grade, where she battled feelings of anxiety about fitting in. To break the ice and make new friends, she brought a large bag of Skittles to share with her classmates. This gesture was her way of prompting conversations and connecting with others.
As she handed out the candy, Kaling noticed her new peers responding with hesitance, nodding their heads when asked about their fondness for Skittles. This moment highlights the universal struggles of adolescence, particularly the desire for acceptance and the lengths we go to in order to forge new friendships.
