HALIFAX, N.S. — Third-year medical science student, Clara Richard, returned to her hometown of Stratford, ON. this reading week. “Nothing like the men back home to make me feel better about not having a valentine,” she explained.
Clara originally had concerns that none of her high school friends would be home the same week, but soon she remembered that she had three built-in friends living right in her house: Charlie, Lilia, and Grace Richard. None of the three had been in contact with their oldest sister since her previous visit home over winter break, but “the bonds of a sibling relationship transcend texting,” explains Clara. Unfortunately, none of her siblings seemed to feel the same way.
Despite the minutes of hard work Clara put into planning the perfect week with her siblings, all they brought to the table were excuses. A day at the mall was cancelled on account of “I have actual friends I’d rather go with,” 12 and “I’m,” put a quick end to any evening plans.
‘School’ was the trio’s favourite way to skirt their sibling responsibilities. “8 a.m. classes five days a week? What are they, masochists?” comments Clara. “I wouldn’t mind if they just told me straight up they didn’t want to go, but they’re making up these elaborate lies about 30 hours of classes a week. It’s just ridiculous.”
Though, according to Grace, Clara may have exaggerated her willingness to accept their noncompliance. “When I told Clara I’d rather sleep instead of watching Severance she tried to blackmail me. [Clara] threatened to tell Mom I was up past my bedtime when it was Clara who made me stay up so she’d have someone to gossip to!”
Fortunately for Clara, she still had one more Stratford resident she could turn to. Owen Peters, saved in Clara’s phone as “ew,” would never turn down the chance to interact with a woman. However, Peters and Clara’s friendship only lasted two days before Clara blocked him. The rest of her break was spent in the confines of her childhood bedroom, with her collection of Beanie Babies as her only friends.
Clara has now made it safely back to Halifax, and is hesitant to let any of her friends out of her sight. Clara’s friends, Patty MacNeil and Jessica Houston, experienced similar struggles over the break, and the three women remind students to be cautious returning home, because who knows who you’ll turn to in your loneliness.
By Ryan Van De Wiel