Cliques

I have no friends at camp right now.

What do I blame? Cliques.

Cliques are groups of people that are exclusive and sometimes go so far as to pick on others who are not in the group. This is a common occurrence among kids and teens. The structure of a clique is very similar to that of an earthquake-proof building: a strong, sturdy foundation with stainless-steel beams and reinforcements. This building also has one of the most advanced security systems in the world. It’s fingerprint-locked, so the only people who can enter the building are those who helped to build it. There is literally no way for anyone else to get into the building. Anyone who gets caught trying to enter the building is arrested on the spot.

So, what do you do when there are several of these tall buildings looming above you, surrounding you at all times?

You just have to accept that you are an outsider. And if you’re the only outsider, you might have to band with adults, who are immune to the system of cliques. The good news is that adults are kind, well-intending people who are capable of holding a substantive conversation. However, the one downside of allying yourself with adults is that it will make you even more of an outsider.

The bottom line is that in order to survive in this society, you must accept your place. Any attempts to change your place are futile. Sometimes, the adults don’t understand this, but it is a simple truth.

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