Up through 5th grade I felt self-sufficient, powered by an internal radiant contentment and warmth. I was reading Orson Scott Card and Eoin Colfer, watching Cod

Up through 5th grade I felt self-sufficient, powered by an internal radiant contentment and warmth. I was reading Orson Scott Card and Eoin Colfer, watching Code Lyoko, learning PHP/MySQL, world-building in my imagination. I had a rich internal life and just wasn't that interested in my classmates. At the onset of middle school, social/emotional needs appeared out of nowhere, all at once. It was like getting hit by a truck. I tend to think that's just growing up, but an it's an interesting thought that the institution plays a role.