Hello, Goodbye, and College

Kayla Hernandez

Hello, Goodbye and Everything In Between
By: Jennifer E. Smith

A teen couple going off to college at opposite sides of the country. Clare and Aidan have one night to revisit all the places they have a special connection with. At the end of the night they have to decide whether to stay together and have a long-distance relationship, or break-up now while they can still be friends. Clare and Aidan both have opposing ideas as to what they should do. Clare brings valid points to Aidan as to why they should break-up and Aidan says they can work it out and it's possible to have a long-distance relationship. Along the night they have moments where everything seems just perfect and they wish to just live in the moment, but reality continually strikes and both know at the next sunrise, they'll both be heading for different places across the country. Aidan is very optimistic, "'Trust me,'Aidan says, reaching for her hand. 'A lot can happen in twelve hours."(2) Which brings hope that it doesn't have to be the end.
This book is a connection to the teen couples now in high school which college is around the corner for them. I would recommend reading this book, because it creates such a relatable connection. It is a book of modern day and each character is someone who we may know in reality. It might become very stretching because they don't decide so suddenly, but that's what we readers like.
I connected well with this book, because I'm in a relationship as well. We're both seniors and college is coming up quicker than we think. It might create distance between us, but we want it to work out and we're not going to give up. I guess you could say, "go with the flow", but it's what we both want most. "'That after all this time, we only have twelve hours left. I mean... we're finally here, you know? At the end of the road."(2). It doesn't have to been from the negative perspective and this is the reason Clare and Aidan balance themselves. Optimistic vs. reality.