Throughout the academic year, Melinda Giampietro, Options Founder/President, will share some of her favourite things in her monthly Founder’s Feature. Melinda loves reading, data, research, and following academic and adolescent news around the world.
September Fiction Books of the Month
This summer, I have enjoyed discovering author Catherine Newman. Both of her recent books resonated with me. She writes raw, honest, funny, and heartbreaking fiction. We All Want Impossible Things↗ is one of those books that sticks with you long after you turn the last page. It follows Edi and Ash’s friendship from elementary school to the end of Edi’s life due to ovarian cancer. One of my very besties died in January 2019 from cystic fibrosis complications, and this book took me right back to that moment and those last few weeks.
Her novel, Sandwich↗, explores a family’s annual summer visit to Cape Cod. The main character, Rocky, navigates having adult children and aging parents. I laughed aloud many times with the relatable scenarios and moments of both confusion and clarity. I loved all the New England summer references and the different perspectives of the generations committed to learning from each other.
September Non-Fiction Book and Podcast of the Month
Wow, I didn’t sleep a few nights after finishing The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness↗. Jonathan Haidt unpacks the fact that mental health of adolescents plunged in the 2010s. He breaks done the opportunity cost of a phone-based childhood: social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction. I appreciated his calls for collective action at the end by different stakeholders. These include instituting phone free schools, raising the age of internet adulthood to 16, and encouraging more play.
This summer, I also followed the US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, and his push for a warning label on social media due to its harmful risks to children and adolescents. This quick 30-minute podcast listen, America’s Top Doctor on Why He Wants Warning Labels on Social Media, from the NYTimes The Daily↗ explains his thinking in a direct interview.
September Cookbook of the Month
I checked Benny Blanco’s Open Wide↗ out from the library in August. I’m not sure the tone of the book was for me (it’s pretty crass), but I did appreciate the organization of the book. He picks 14 main themes and builds menus around them. I enjoyed dabbling in It’s a Pool Party, I Wish I Was an Italian Grandma, Perfect Picnic, and Ultimate Breakfast. The recipes were well written and easy to follow. A few favourites include: Pasta with Greens, Breadcrumbs and Olives; “I Might Go Vegetarian” Veggie Sandwich; Melon and Honey Salad; Strawberry Compote; and Jitlada’s Mango Sticky Rice.
September Back to School Backpacks
I am a backpack person. When I travel and for the back and forth to work, I have always used a backpack. I like to be hands free to hold my coffee.
My two favourite backpacks are:
Beis the Backpack↗: This is my main travel and work backpack. I actually have this in two colours (Beige (the original colour) and navy (which matches my carry-on)). They are amazing. There are so many pockets, a keychain clip (an underrated essential), and a large laptop pocket, and it fully unzips for easy long-weekend packing. And the best part is the trolley pass through to fit over my carry on (also Beis navy!).
Patagonia Refugio Daypack↗: This is my everyday errands backpack. It carries my wallet, snacks, and library books, and on the weekends, it’s my main backpack to carry groceries. I really like the padded straps on this one for long Stanley Park walks, and it is very water resistant for day-to-day Vancity life. It is indestructible; I’ve had it for years and years. It even has a bike light clip to keep you safe, and my husband has one, too.
September Back to School New Favourite Pens
Last September, I did a feature of all my favourite back to school supplies. This year, I have a new favourite pen. BLIEVE↗ pens are perfect for people, like me, who still keep a paper planner. The earthy colours are perfect for fall.
September Back to School Playlist
In September, I find I spend a lot of time at the kitchen counter answering student schedule emails, and in our family, everything is better with a soundtrack. These are my favourite songs↗ right now to get work done to. They definitely represent my Telluride bluegrass roots, my love of country music, and a head nod to a new generation of female pop artists.
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Did you know that UBC made a major change to its admissions requirements for fall 2026? Did you know that UVic’s business school has a new essay for this year’s application? Did you know that Western Engineering will be the first engineering program in Canada to use the Casper for admission?
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To read more Founder’s Features, check them out under the Options News↗ category.
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