The invisible struggles

First Impressions

The August sun shone high in the sky as Elena pushed open the glass door of the main entrance of Windham University. She felt both excited and nervous about starting this new chapter of her life. The university, with its majestic red brick buildings and tree-lined alleys, seemed vast and full of promise.

Elena had spent weeks planning this day. She was carrying a backpack loaded with art supplies and a pouch containing her meticulously prepared class schedules. Her heart beat faster with each step she took into the bustling lobby of the main building. Groups of students crowded in all directions, chatting animatedly, while colorful posters announced the activities of clubs and associations.

She walked with a determined step towards the bulletin board where she hoped to find the campus map and the necessary information to navigate this new academic world. As she carefully examined the various panels, she suddenly felt a presence at her side. She turned her head and met the gaze of a young man with a warm smile.

"Hi," he said in a friendly voice, "My name is Lucas. Is this your first year here too?"

Elena smiled shyly, nodding her head. "Yes, my name is Elena. Nice to meet you, Lucas."

Lucas held out his hand, and they shook hands briefly. "What program are you in?" he asked, trying to break the ice.

"I'm in art," Elena replied with a slight nervous smile. "I want to become a professional artist."

"That's great!" exclaimed Lucas sincerely. "I'm in political science. I hope to work in international relations one day."

Elena immediately felt relieved by the ease of the conversation with Lucas. He was friendly and open, which made her less nervous about that first day. They exchanged a few words about their impressions of the university and their planned courses for the coming semester. During their conversation, they noticed a young woman with blue hair standing not far away, intently scrutinizing a leaflet of student activities. Lucas smiled at Elena before giving a discreet nod in the direction of the girl with blue hair.

"Do you see her?" he whispered to Elena. "That's Maya. We have a course together, comparative politics. She seems a little lost; maybe we should help her."

Elena nodded gratefully. Together they walked over to Maya, who looked up at them with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. She was wearing a black t-shirt adorned with the logo of a famous video game, a distinctive sign of her interest in technology and virtual worlds.

"Hi, Maya," Lucas said in a friendly voice. "Are you looking for something in particular?"

Maya seemed surprised by their approach but smiled shyly as she replied, "Oh, hi. Yes, I am looking for information about the university video game club. I am passionate about technology and video games, and I would like to meet other people who share my interests."

Elena introduced herself, feeling an immediate connection with Maya. "My name is Elena. I'm into art," she said, pointing to her backpack full of art supplies.

"That's cool!" exclaimed Maya, visibly enthusiastic. "You must have tons of creative ideas for your projects. Me, I'm more on the side of pixels and virtual worlds."

Lucas smiled, appreciating Maya's sincerity. "Elena and I just met too. It's nice to meet friendly people from day one."

The three students continued to talk, sharing their expectations for the new academic year. They exchanged anecdotes about their past experiences and laughed together about the chaotic first days at the university. Elena felt increasingly comfortable in the company of Lucas and Maya, discovering that they shared not only academic interests but also an open-mindedness and curiosity about the world around them.