50 States Against Bullying: NEW HAMPSHIRE

Stop number fifteen on the 50 States Against Bullying campaign brought me to New Hampshire. It's my last stop before I head back to California for about a week, so I spent extra time taking detours to enjoy the surroundings.

Here's a river I passed on my way to ConVal High School. It's places like this that allow ConVal to have a bass fishing team. Bass fishing! I don't fish, but even I think that's cool.

This cemetery looks creepily beautiful surrounded by these trees. About a dozen times, people told me, "You should've been here last week when the trees were Peak Color." Yes, Peak Color is a thing! If I was buried in this setting, I'd have to dig my way out of my grave each fall to see the trees. I bet New England zombies even have a saying about that: When it's fall, you just have to get back up again.

Approaching the school entrance, I saw the Thirteen Reasons Why display through the windows. Surrounding the doors were many #ReasonsWhyYouMatter cards already filled out.

Here are all the people I spoke to in the gym, although in this picture I'm first being photographed by two students.

After I spoke, the principal led them in a chorus of "Thank you, Jay Asher!" So, of course, I had to record that.

Then I spoke to a group of leadership students in the theater, where I answered many questions. This was followed by lunch! When I was in high school, I think I ate cafeteria food once. Not because it was bad, I just either brought mine from home or went to the window where they sold Subway sandwiches ("Spicy Italian, please."). So whenever schools ask if I'd like to eat food from the cafeteria, I always say yes because...it's fun!

I chose to eat at the table where students were filling out #ReasonsWhyYouMatter cards. After writing their message, they got a Halloween candy and a tour wristband. For example, take it away, Anthony...

It was then time to speak to two different sessions of English students who've all read the book. But the soup I ate at lunch included tiny floating green things (not onions, which I'm sure of because they weren't gross), so I checked my teeth for green things before I spoke.

Walking to the room where I'd meet the students, I spotted this wall design. Since it reminded me of Charlie Brown, I had to take its picture, of course.

When you get to spend hours speaking to students who've all read your book, you get asked some very insightful questions. We discussed Hannah's reactions to situations, metaphors that I may or may not have intentionally put in the story (it could be that I just don't remember, but I don't think they were), and so much more.

On second thought, I take that back. It sounds much smarter to say all of those metaphors were intentional. And they were. They totally were!