Yes… the middle school years – these are the years that seem to still be the worst for kids. It's when we've become acutely self-aware and struggling to actualize our own humanity, all at the same time we become aware of each other beyond just another kid in the room. It's also when those bullies seem to engage in their deepest cruelties. It's when adults are both at a loss how to interact with us; they try to control us like we're still little children, and at the same time demand we "grow up" and act like adults.