Cautious

Chapter 3. New Beginnings

As they arrived, they saw twelve young adults, dressed in purple tees, waiting outside the dorm. As Quincy and his family emerged from their van, four of the guys came over with a cart to help them take the luggage upstairs.

"Welcome to TCU! How's it going, bro?"

"Good, it was a long ride, but we made it!" Quincy replied as the man helped put some of his stuff into their bin.

The gentlemen walked them up to his temporary room, asking them questions about their ride, home, and lives along the way up.

After unloading the bin in the room, the oldest-looking guy of the mentors said to Quincy, "Take your time unpacking and getting settled in since you all got here pretty early. We won't be meeting for another hour or so."

Quincy and his family thanked them and began to unpack.

Thirty minutes passed.

Quincy's family sat on his bed while he looked out the window at the campus.

"So this is Wolfpine," Quincy said.

"Got to admit that this was not what I was expecting to see," his sister said, looking from behind him. Everyone laughed. Quincy thought about how, in just a week's time, he would be one of thou- sands walking the streets below. Then out of nowhere, there was a gentle knock on the door.

Before the person on the other side could open it with their key, Quincy's mother opened the door and greeted them. Standing there was a boy, about the same height as Quincy, who appeared to be Caucasian. Quincy scrambled to his feet and greeted the boy.

"Hey, I'm Quincy!"

The boy shook his hand firmly and replied, "How's it going? I'm Daniel."

Quincy's family helped Daniel and his mother with his stuff. Then they all sat in the room and got acquainted before walking to the opening ceremony for the program. Quincy and his family found a couple of seats in the back few rows of the theater just as the lady who created the university program began her ceremonial opening speech.

"Good afternoon, everyone! And welcome to our fifteenth annual SAMS Summer Program! The STEM Association for Minority Success Summer Program (SAMS) was created for students of color here on campus: to connect and network with peers in their respective but related fields of study."

As she continued to inform the parents more of the program, Quincy surveyed the room. There were tons of different people there. He could make out several students like himself, plus a couple of Latino descent, a few of Asian lineage, and three who were not of color at all.

"Isn't it weird how she just said this was created for people of color, but they let those students in?"

"Boy, stop murmuring and pay attention to this lady."

Quincy leaned back in his chair and tried to do as his mother instructed.

"But first, I want to introduce the student mentors who will be aiding and guiding your students throughout the program and their time here at the university."