Sam popped a hot chip into her mouth before she spoke. ‘So what’s it like being back at home?’ Before I had enough time to answer she interrupted, ‘You’re fighting a lot with the parentals.’ I gritted my teeth and rolled my eyes at Sam. ‘Yeah, cuz they’re driving me up the fucking wall.’ I took a swig from my Mountain Dew. ‘It’s like they don’t even realise I’m not a kid anymore,’ I sighed. ‘I miss Women’s College. I just can’t believe I’m back at home after only four month

Trigger Warning: This story contains content about suicide. If you or someone you know needs personal help, please call a help service where you are, in Australia that’s Lifeline on 13 11 14. I have this memory from my childhood of getting caught in a riptide at our local surf beach. The terror I felt when I was caught underwater and couldn’t quite make it to the surface for air is still so vivid. No matter how hard I fought, something I couldn’t see just kept pulling me

I smiled widely as I smacked the leather seat next to me, in time to Van Morrison’s ‘Brown Eyed Girl’. ‘Turn it up, Dad!’ I called from the backseat as I bobbed and weaved to the tune. Mum turned around to watch me as the volume climbed. I joined in belting out the chorus with Van the Man. After a moment of silence, I met Dad’s eye in the rear-view mirror and burst out laughing. Mum smiled and Dad’s eyes soon crinkled with barely contained laughter. When Dad switched the radi

Would you believe you were lazy if you grew up hearing it all the time? Although I always enjoyed our family outings as a child, I never looked forward to the walking part. I liked to lead the way and my position up the front provided a decent angle for my parents to observe my wonky walking. They would often tell me to concentrate, and I’d do just that for approximately five minutes (sometimes less) before my concentration would lapse; allowing my wonky walk to return, leav