One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In

Kelly Kennedy is Kennedy’s older sister. Kennedy references her sister intermittently throughout the collection but primarily describes their relationship in the collection’s opening essay “Limited To.” From a young age, Kennedy says that she learned about the world and herself “by studying [her] sister” (25). Because Kelly is four years older than Kennedy, “her world seemed much cooler than [Kennedy’s]” (25). Kennedy remembers marveling at Kelly and her best friend Monica’s “oversized sweatshirts with ambiguously sourced iron-on decals outlined with puff paints” and “studying the effort put into matching the design of a folded-down turtleneck underneath” (25). Therefore, Kelly set a precedent for what a young girl should look like in Kennedy’s eyes. Over the years that followed these girlhood experiences, Kennedy describes how she and Kelly became friends and confidantes. In “Kate Expectations,” for example, Kennedy identifies her sister as a listening ear and someone to whom she can now bring her more vulnerable concerns.

Pleasant Rowland is the woman who founded the American Girl brand. An entrepreneur, educator, writer, and philanthropist, Rowland created the brand on principles that Kennedy insists she still supports. In her Pop-Up Biblio at the end of “Limited To,” Kennedy explains how Rowland prioritized the stories and experiences of young girls throughout history. Her work with the brand subverted other historical texts where girls like Kennedy “only learned about men who held power and leadership roles” (40). Kennedy therefore commends Rowland “for going out of her way to put women in the sequel” (40). However, Kennedy also interrogates Rowland and her company’s failure to be as inclusive as they could have been in their representations of American girls.

Emily, Hirah, Morgan, and Elise were Kennedy’s childhood friends. Kennedy references these girlfriends in the essays collected in Part 1. She describes the games that they used to play together and details all of the time they spent at one another’s houses and in their Virginia neighborhood. She shows gratitude for her early bonds with Emily, Hirah, Morgan, and Elise and asserts that these friendships helped her to understand the power and importance of female connection.

Hannah is one of Kennedy’s best friends from college. Kennedy references Hannah in the essay “B There in Five” when reflecting on the non-linear trajectory of her career path. She describes a time when Hanna “dragged [her] to a career fair,” “helped [her] put together [her] resume,” and “got [her] out of bed with her go-getter spirit” (227). Because the career fair was influential for Kennedy, she remarks that she owes Hannah a tremendous deal for supporting her and believing in her future. She uses Hannah as an example of one of the strong women in her life who saw her potential during a period when she was struggling to believe in herself.

Jo was one of Kennedy’s first bosses in the corporate world. Kennedy references Jo in the essay “B There in Five” amidst her discussion of careers, vocation, and self-employment. Jo was “the woman who hired” Kennedy for her first job in marketing and she “took a chance on [Kennedy], at a really low point” 299). Like the other positive female mentors in Kennedy’s story, Jo “opened up the door that led into the next several years” of her life where she not only discovered herself but “got [her] confidence back” (229). In Kennedy’s descriptions of Jo, her tone becomes reflective and nostalgic. She is expressing her gratitude for Jo and attributing her personal growth to Jo’s influence in her life.

Emily is Kennedy’s sister-in-law. Kennedy alludes to her relationship with Emily in the essay “The Parent Trap.” She shares a memory that includes Emily, saying that she considers her “a sister more than an in-law” (270). When Kennedy got pregnant, Emily sent her her “very own Cuppy she found on eBay from the Disney Store in the late nineties” (270). Emily was afraid the stuffed animal would upset Kennedy because it arrived after Kennedy lost her baby. However, Kennedy asserts that Emily’s gift validated her pregnancy experience. Emily is another strong female influence in Kennedy’s story.

Sheryl is another of Kennedy’s friends and bosses. Kennedy alludes to Sheryl’s influence on her early career in the essay “B There in Five.” Like her relationship with Jo, Kennedy’s relationship with Sheryl helped her to believe in herself and to work hard. Kennedy also explains the ways in which Sheryl “made [her] feel valuable and smart” and fought to get Kennedy “more visibility, more recognition, and high compensation” (229). Sheryl was also responsible for ensuring that Kennedy “was taken care of with a promotion and a roster of huge clients” after she left the company (229). Like her allusions to Hannah, Jo, and Emily, Kennedy uses Sheryl as an example of a strong, empowered, and determined woman who helped her to grow as a person.