I Will Always Love You
Cecily Von Ziegesar
Love is like war： easy to begin but very hard to stop。
—H。 L。 Mencken
hey people！
ho； ho； ho！
’Tis the season to be jolly。 Fa la la la la； la la la la。 Don we now our gay apparel… which just so happens to have been made for us by the little elves at Givenchy or YSL or Oscar de la Renta。 Who are we； you ask？ The residents of Manhattan’s Golden Mile； of course—that glorious stretch of doorman buildings above Fifty…ninth Street and below Eighty…sixth。 It’s Christmastime； time to deck our sprawling Upper East Side penthouses with silver and gold baubles； twinkly lights； velvet bows； and chocolates imported from belle Paris。 Here the holidays are always a little more sparkly； a little brighter； a little better。 It’s so； so good to be back。
While I’m not about to tell you where I’ve been for the past few months； I will tell you that there is life after high school。 Yes； it finally happened： We went to college。 During the past semester we encountered people who haven’t seen us naked （yet）； and who don’t know our SAT scores； who don’t remember that time we wet our pants in kindergarten； or when we got our ears pierced。 We’ve learned a few new things； made a few new friends； and have even maybe met the loves our lives。 We’ve changed—hopefully for the better。 And we’re just as fabulous as always。
Take B； for instance。 She’s spending a perfect holiday with her perfect Yale boyfriend and his perfect family at their idyllic Vermont pound。 That girl always had her eye on the prize。 Speaking of prizes； what’s S up to these days？ No longer hounded by overeager； fashion…conscious Constance Billard girls； she’s now trailed by the paparazzi and a posse of wannabe movie starlets while she