Friday afternoon and the New York air carries a slight chill, not quite the crispness of London. I sit in my Philosophy and Humanities class, feeling the weight of fatigue pulling at my eyelids. It's my last lecture of the day, yet my mind is elsewhere—fixated on the promise of Friday. The weekend looms ahead, a sanctuary free from the burden of classes.
"People are motivated to self-actualize. Major humanistic psychologists such as and believed that human beings were born with the desire to grow, create, and love, and had the power to direct their own lives." Professor Maslow's voice drones in the background. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, those titans of humanistic psychology, believed that within us lies an innate desire to grow, create, and love—a power to shape our own lives. Lovely.
But my thoughts wander from theories and textbooks. Instead, they paint vivid scenes: Lily and I cocooned in our cozy university dorm. The world outside fades away. We'll sleep, eat takeout, and sleep again. As a junior student, I've earned this respite. The week has been a relentless tempest—overdue assignments, and heated debates about humanistic nuances, management theories, numbers, and trades. Bloody college.
And so, I cling to the anticipation of Friday evening, where the mundane dissolves into possibility. The weekend beckons, promising solace and a chance to reclaim my weary spirit.
As Professor Maslow continues, I listen attentively, but the back of my mind is still wandering. I've been in New York for almost two years now, attending university. It's the only decision I've made entirely on my own. My mother hated the idea, but she had no choice—it was my decision. She wanted me at Oxford, being an alumna herself. That's why. My father wanted me at Oxford too, but it wasn't his choice. I mean, why would he even suggest it? He's too bloody busy. Anyway, as I listen and listen, 4 PM hits. Lecture done. I'm free
"Thank you all for listening, and please, please submit all your project theory reports before midnight. I don't want anyone pleading for a five-minute extension. I have a life too, alright? Okay, thank you and have a great weekend," Professor Maslow says, sounding both annoyed and cheeky. He's quite old but endearing in a way—not in the "silver fox" sense, but in a charming, elderly professor kind of way. Did I just think that? That's weird. He's like 75. Jesus.
Anyway, I gather my things, planning to walk back to the dorms and grab some takeout so I won't have to go out later. But knowing Lily, she'll want ice cream from the shop near our dorms and will definitely drag me out by 10 PM. She's homesick and needs to feel the coolness of London.
As I'm leaving the room, someone startles me from behind. Bloody hell. "Babes, come on now, 4 fucking sharp. Bloody hell, Mr. Maslow," Lily rambles, her unmistakable London accent catching me by surprise.
"Fuck Li, what are you doing here? Your lecture finishes at 6, right?"* I ask as we stroll through the bustling hallways of NYU. Yes, NYU. From London to New York, baby. This is the only university I ever wanted. It's a melting pot of different cultures, lives, and stories. Some are weird and mind-blowing, others utterly suspicious or famously scandalous. Maybe interesting, but all different. Here, everyone lives their lives to become someone they aspire to be, not just because they have to.
"Oh, the lecture didn't even start. Professor is dead, maybe," Li says seriously while she checks her phone as we walk.
"What? What do you mean? Professor of Ancient History is dead?"* I ask, concerned.
Li laughs a bit, looks at me. "I love you, okay, but you're so gullible sometimes. It was a joke,"* she says, stopping and staring at me like I'm daft. I'm not.
"That was dark, saying he's dead,"* I mutter as we continue walking to our dorm, catching up on the day. The campus is alive with students rushing to their next classes, the sound of chatter and footsteps echoing through the corridors. She's my best friend; we live together. We do everything together. But we still do these daily catch-ups. I'm quite impressed.
