The New Girl | 𝘈𝘛𝘌𝘌𝘡

Nice Enough

Deep breaths, Anna...

Come on, deep breaths...

You're going to pass out before you even get inside if you keep this up. Now take a deep breath, dammit!

My mental pep talk is going less than splendidly as I stroll down the sidewalk with my suitcases in hand. The dorms in Seoul looked nothing like the one I'd lived in last semester at Stanford, but I kind of liked it that way. It was different, which was the whole reason that I came to Korea.

Okay, you're still not breathing... Maybe you should sit down.

I search my surroundings for a place to sit and end up taking a seat on a nearby bench to try and catch my breath. All around me, students are walking around the campus with their families, and I wish more than anything that my parents could be here right now.

With shaking hands, I reach into my back pocket and pull out my mom's note. It's one of the few things that I brought with me to Korea, and I hope it can help me calm down before I make a fool of myself in front of my new classmates. God, I wish she was here right now.

My beautiful Anna,

Congratulations on finishing high school. You're officially an adult, and I couldn't be more proud of you. I wish I could be there to see your cap flying into the air, but just know I'll be with you the entire time.

I'm sorry for leaving you so soon, but God has a bigger plan for us, so he must know that you will be okay after I'm gone. Never forget that your father loves you so dearly, and he's been doing his best on his own these past three years. Try not to be too hard on him.

No matter what you do, always pursue your dreams. You have the power to accomplish anything you set out to do, so whatever that is, you give it your all. Trust your instincts and work hard. I know you're going to do amazing things.

I'll be with you every step of the way. Until I see you again, know that my love for you is matched only by your father's and we're proud of you no matter what.

Love, Mom

I wipe the tears that have formed in my eyes and take a deep breath to calm down. It's been almost four years since my mom died, but I still have trouble grasping the fact that she's really gone. Still, now is certainly not the time to have a mental breakdown.

Mom would've wanted you to enjoy your first day at this new school. You're finally following your dreams.

I take one last deep breath as I check the campus map on my phone. Once I'm certain that I know where I'm going, I stuff my phone back into my pocket and before walk towards what I can now confidently say is the dorm for the arts students. The place that is set to be my new home is sleek and modern, and the multitude of windows make it much more welcoming than the old creaky dorm I lived in last semester.