University of Pennsylvania, UCLA

"So, how is your brother’s girlfriend going…?” My dad dropped this bomb nonchalantly. The tarred road zoomed alongside us. Locked Doors. No cars for miles. This was code red. Searching for any and all signs of egress, I was in full panic mode over the impending inquisition. Two hours into our drive to a rowing camp in Taree— a hamlet north of Sydney—we had already exhausted all the polite conversation. Each passing second became another potential opportunity for an awkward ‘parent’ question to open a treasure trove of personal embarrassment. I attempted a musical diversion. However, the cycle…