Season One · Things nobody taught you

Life didn’t
come with
instructions.

I got you, girl. Life skills for teens and young women finding their way—real-life help, honest answers, and zero shame. Take what you need. Leave what you don’t.

A real-life question What if I don’t know how?

Try these exact words: “Can you show me?”

The Space

Pick what you need today.

This is a space, not a test. Open any door — or skip the whole thing. Nothing here keeps score.

Every door is open — start anywhere.

You don’t have to figure it all out right now.

The Vision Board

There’s a quiet corner of this space that’s just for picturing the life you’re growing toward. Pin up pictures, words, and lines that feel like your future — a home of your own, a calm morning, the words you want to live by — and move them around until it looks like you.

Your board lives on this phone. Nobody can see it but you — save a picture to keep it forever.

One honest extra: if you share this phone, someone could open the browser and see your board — save a picture and clear the board to keep it yours.

Step into the Vision Board

How it works

Open a door. Start anywhere.

The whole systemJust a calm space of the everyday stuff nobody teaches — free, in English and Spanish.

Pick a door

A door for each part of life — the everyday stuff nobody teaches. Begin with the one that feels like yours today.

Read it your way

Every topic is its own page. No order, no quizzes, no finish line. Skip anything, anytime.

Pocket what helps

Words to borrow, lists to keep, ideas to try. Leave the rest right here for another day.

The only rule

“Read what helps. Skip what doesn’t.”

Built differently

Every topic has your back.

Read privately on your phone or sit with a safe adult. You stay in charge of the pace.

01Gentle heads-up

Every written topic starts gently, so you know what it covers before you begin.

02Hidden rule

Written topics name the expectation people rarely stop to explain.

03Exact words

Some written topics include an Exact words box — a sentence you can borrow when words are hard.

04Try it — or don’t

Practice is optional. Passing is always allowed.

05Who to ask

Every page ends with the red I Need Help Right Away line — real help is always one tap away.

You were never supposed to know everything automatically.

About Big Sister Academy

Life help that sits beside you.

Big Sister Academy is a warm, shame-free space of practical life skills for teens, young women, and anyone finding their way. We explain the things people assume you already know, give you exact words to borrow, and let you choose your own pace.

If you need practical life-skills help later, bookmark this page or Google Big Sister Academy. Same name, the same warm, plainspoken voice.

Questions or program partnerships: claudia@bigsisteracademy.com

Quick answers

Questions are welcome.

Who is this for?

Girls and young women — anyone who was never really taught this stuff and is figuring it out as she goes. That includes girls in foster care and young women who have aged out of care — the topics here were shaped by listening to people who grew up in care — and it was never only for them. If you’re finding your way, you’re in the right place.

Do I have to go in order?

Nope. Start anywhere, skip anything, and come back when you are ready. There are no scores or streaks.

How do I find it again?

Bookmark the site or Google Big Sister Academy. We keep the name identical everywhere so you can get back here easily.

For caring adults

Bring it to your program.

A flexible life-skills resource — free for youth programs, schools, community groups, and the adults who show up.

Start a conversation ↗

01Browse or skip in any order

02No scores, streaks, or tracking

03Choice-first group prompts

04Print one practical topic at a time

Who reads this? →

I Need Help Right Away

First, the honest part. Big Sister Academy can’t help in an emergency, and nobody here sees messages right away — so please don’t wait on us.

If you’re in danger right now, call 911.

Every place below is a national service whose whole job is moments like this. They’re free to use, and what you tell them is kept private — with one honest limit: if someone is in immediate danger, the people there may act to keep them safe. No hotline can promise more than that, and we won’t pretend otherwise.

If you’re thinking about hurting yourself

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 — any time, day or night 988lifeline.org

If you’d rather type it out

Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741 to reach a live, trained counselor crisistextline.org

If you’re LGBTQ+ and need someone who gets it

The Trevor Project Call 1-866-488-7386, or text START to 678-678 thetrevorproject.org

If someone is hurting you at home

National Domestic Violence Hotline Call 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788 thehotline.org

If someone you’re dating is hurting or controlling you

love is respect Call 1-866-331-9474, or text LOVEIS to 22522 loveisrespect.org

If you’re Native and want a Native voice

StrongHearts Native Helpline Call or text 1-844-762-8423 strongheartshelpline.org

If an adult is hurting a kid

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline Call 1-800-422-4453 — counselors who know what to do next childhelp.org

If you’re thinking of running away — or you already left

National Runaway Safeline Call 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) — they listen, and they can help you get somewhere safe 1800runaway.org

If someone is controlling you, or making you do things you don’t want to

National Human Trafficking Hotline Call 1-888-373-7888, or text HELP to 233733 humantraffickinghotline.org

If someone hurt you sexually

RAINN — National Sexual Assault Hotline Call 1-800-656-4673 — free, private support rainn.org

¿Hablas español? Help is available in Spanish today. Call 988 and press 2, or text AYUDA to 988. The National Domestic Violence Hotline and the National Runaway Safeline also help in Spanish.

Your Vision Board

This room is yours. Pin up the future you’re picturing — pictures, words, and the lines you want to keep close. Move things around until it looks like you.

Tap something below to start your board.

Everything down there is yours to use — nothing is locked, ever.

Tap anything to pin it to your board. Drag pieces around the board to make it yours — tap a piece to take it back off.

In your own words

The trays are a starting place — your board should sound like you. Write the word you keep coming back to, or the line you wish someone had said to you, and pin it up.

Anything you write joins the Words and Your Lines trays, so you can pin it again any time — and it lives on this phone, same as your board.

Your board lives on this phone. Nobody can see it but you — save a picture to keep it forever.

Dream big, start tiny. Your board can change whenever you do.

Life didn’t
come with
instructions.

Pick what you need today.

The Vision Board

Open a door. Start anywhere.

Pick a door

Read it your way

Pocket what helps

Every topic has your back.

Life help that sits beside you.

Questions are welcome.

Who is this for?

Do I have to go in order?

How do I find it again?

Bring it to your program.

What do you wish someone taught you?

Pick what you need today.

I Need Help Right Away

If you’re thinking about hurting yourself

If you’d rather type it out

If you’re LGBTQ+ and need someone who gets it

If someone is hurting you at home

If someone you’re dating is hurting or controlling you

If you’re Native and want a Native voice

If an adult is hurting a kid

If you’re thinking of running away — or you already left

If someone is controlling you, or making you do things you don’t want to

If someone hurt you sexually

Your Vision Board

In your own words

Good to know.

That door doesn’t exist yet