Merritt

Section One, Chapter One

SECTION ONE
           CHAPTER ONE

College has been a huge challenge for me. I am the only one of my friends to stay behind and go to a junior college instead of a University. Now however, it is finally time for me to transfer to a larger college. I applied to all of the local ones and was positively shocked when I received an acceptance letter in the mail from a school I didn't even apply to much less heard of. The school is called Ulysses Grant College named after former president and General of the army during the American Civil War. It is all the way on the other side of the states in Connecticut. I know nothing about Connecticut and nothing about this school. All I know is they are offering me full paid tuition and room and board. They are even letting me bring my dog Millie. I couldn't be more happy or terrified. This truly is the meaning of going away for college.

       I take in a deep breath and look at my surroundings. This college is positively beautiful. I can almost smell the history in the air. The buildings all look exceptionally vintage, probably from around the late 1800’s. The trees are gorgeous and dangerously tall. I hear a faint sound of water running in the distance and figure that it is the Willimantic River.

       I took a huge chance coming here. My mother thought I was insane for attending a college on the other side of the country that I have never even seen or heard of before. My father congratulated me on finally taking a risk in life, like it’s all he has waited for me to do. It isn't like I’m the type of person that hides in the shadows while others live their life, I’m just not very good at being social. I've always been worried of what others will think. I've become more of a watcher. I just love to watch people. I love to study their every gesture, tone of voice, and word choice. In high school I had many friends and was known and praised for my socially awkward tendencies. But, the last two years at a junior college have been hard for me, and forming friendships has been a tedious task. I breathe in the fresh and crisp air one last time and make my way towards what is supposed to be my dorm.

I urge my dog Millie along on the leash but she wants to stop and smell everything. I only have one giant suitcase and the rest of my essential belongings and clothes are being shipped to me. As for anything else I need, I plan on buying in town here. I shove my way into the big brick building that is my dorm. On top of the doors in white letters reads “BI” which is the name of the dorm. I guess that it will be easy to remember and I assume there are a lot of sexual orientation references made toward my dorm. I know I am on the fourth floor in room 4C and I am thrilled when I see an elevator. I was so hoping I wouldn't have to haul this suitcase and my dog up four flights of stairs.

        When I get to my room, I am surprised at how much more spacious it is than I expected. There are two twin beds and a door that I see leads to a small bathroom. We have our own private bathroom! There is even a small living room equipped with a tiny green couch and a coffee table. I have never been more thrilled. All I ever heard and experienced when I went to visit friend’s dorms was the worst living conditions. They were rooms that could hardly fit two beds and two desks, and they had community bathrooms.

        When I check out the bathroom and shower I see my reflection in the mirror. My brown eyes have dark circles underneath them, and wow, hours of sleeping on a plane did not do much for my hair. I fix it and then admire myself and criticize myself at the same time. I'm pretty average looking. Not exceptionally fit or wondrously tall. I have large cheek bones and eyes that kind of crinkle each time I smile. My brown hair is getting so long. It hangs down straight as a rod and stops a few inches above my belly button. No wonder it was such a rats-nest, there is so much of it.

        The one thing I am most nervous about is meeting my roommate. I have heard so many horror stories about roommates and pray that mine isn’t in any way psychotic. I quickly take the bed on the right because it is closest to the window and sitting area. A few minutes later when I start to unpack, I see a girl tumble in with two suitcases and a cat carrier. We both had to sign an agreement that it was okay for the other one to have an animal stay with them in the room. It will be crowded to have two people with a cat and a dog in one room but I know that it is so worth it if it means I get to bring what can easily be considered my best friend with four legs and a tail.