Do you ever wonder what a high school life is like?

High school is a really complicated place for teens like us, but sometimes it can change our lives for the better (besides the studies, I mean.)

Susin Nielsen's “We Are All Made Of Molecules” has many themes hidden in the words that tell us a high schooler’s life and thoughts.

Unexpected friendships are common in books, T.V shows, movies, and in reality, and it is certainly one of the main themes in "We Are All Made Of Molecules".

Have you ever made a friend that you didn’t expect to get close to? Some other people definitely have. For example, have any of you heard about the friendship between a Kate the dog and Pippin the deer? Pippin, the abandoned, orphaned deer, was taken under a dog’s care whose name was Kate. Kate plays the role of a mother and best friend towards Pippin, and those two are inseparable. No one expected a friendship between those two.

Another story is actually my mom and dad. My mom was a very big introvert and my dad was a HUGE extrovert. They were complete opposites, and while my dad didn’t mind being near my mom, my mom hated him. But then, after a while, they grew accustomed to each other, and eventually married and had me and my brother.

So, this quote that says “Unexpected friendships are the best ones.”, rings very true for most. The main characters in this book are polar opposites. Stewart, one of the main characters, is highly intelligent but has trouble interacting in society. Ashley, on the other hand, is very popular and attractive, but her grades are failing. These two fit in very different categories, yet they fill each other’s weak spots. Their friendship can be rocky at times, but they always manage to pull out of the bad situation.

The quote “The best things about the worst time of your life is that you get to see the true colors of everyone that you cared for.” points this out very obviously. You get to see who stays for you and who leaves, which is actually very good, because then you get to know who is going to be there for you no matter what. You also might be able to see what they are truly feeling instead of the plain, happy mask everyone paints on their face at least at one point in their life. Another thing is, have you ever listened to music or did something you loved when you felt down? I sure did, and I learned that when you aren’t at your best, you learn to appreciate the small, beautiful things that happen all around you. Maybe it’s the nice weather, or the hypnotizing fall of the snow, or maybe it’s watching your family be affectionate towards one another. All of these things could cheer you up when you feel down.

Ashley thinks that her life is ruined when her dad and mom divorce, and Stewart moves in. She thinks that everything is over, her life is terrible, and she hates everything. But, Stewart showed her that having him as a step-brother is not all bad. He protected her from the jerk whose name is Jared, and in return, she protected him from Jared in school. She realized that even if her real dad was gay (thus, the reason they divorced), she loved him even then, not to mention his boyfriend is a person of her taste. She sees that her mom is finally happy with Stewart’s dad, and she knows who her real friends are, not the friends who stick around because of her popularity and attractiveness.

Points:
A few years ago, I had a friend that I would hang out with all the time. Me and my friend were really close, but then, after a bunch of mistakes, bad situations and fights, we realized we weren’t as close as we used to be, and because of that, we started being more open to making new friends instead of sticking together and not allowing anyone into our friendship. That IS a good thing, because even though we aren’t as close anymore, we learned to make new friends and have fun instead of pushing everyone away and staying together. We still talk, of course, but we don’t isolate ourselves anymore.

A personal tip from me, is that sometimes you just have to relax and go with the flow. If you are trying to force something, you may not be happy with the result. It’s sometimes better to sit back and wait for things to come to an end or wrap up. Then, you will realize what has been going wrong, and you could fix that. Another tip is, you have to realize the good side to a bad situation. For example, if your car breaks down, don’t be like “Oh, I have the worst luck in the world. This is so stupid”. Instead, think of “Oh, even if my car did break down, I have a chance to be prepared the next time it might break down.”

Stewart tried to make the best of every bad situation, even if Ashley kept putting him down. Ashley, however, always made the worst out of everything, but Stewart made her realize that everything wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Before, she saw her mom with an ugly guy who didn’t belong in the family, and she thought her mom was crazy. After Stewart opened her eyes, she realized her mom was truly happy and in love, and the outside didn’t matter at all, it was the inside. She came to realize that she actually didn’t mind Stewart and his dad. Sure, the family was a little weird, but the weirdest things are sometimes the best.

“The bad thing that happens today could be paving the way for the good things tomorrow. Trust the process.”
So, will you be able to understand the good things in life? I will surely try, and I know Ashley and Stewart will, too. Friendship is important within the family, and within your friends, too. Even strangers can become best friends if they had a chance to meet and talk. Unexpected friendship is everywhere, and those are the best. There are other good things too, even in bad situations and times,, IF you let them. This book definitely encourages you to do so, because it is very important to do in life to be closer to each other.