Stanmore

Stanmore is the town where Alderton grows up. It is a suburban neighborhood that is too far from the city to allow her access to urban youth culture but not rural enough to indoctrinate her into the group of young people dropping acid with their cousins in the woods. When Alderton feels trapped by the small town, and its lack of culture, she uses alcohol to escape her boredom. Later on, this maladaptive coping tool dominates Alderton’s social interactions and prohibits her from realizing her independence and adulthood.

MSN Instant Messenger

MSN Instant Messenger is the platform that the author uses to talk to boys when she is a teenager. The online interactions that she has on the platform help her to establish a life outside of her all-girls school and expand her friend group. MSN Messenger also informs her understanding of romantic relationships; throughout her...