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three

I should have known something like this would happen. I'm prone to accidents, you see. I'm clumsy. I fall down. I get bruised. But I should have eaten that morning, or even had a glass of water. I was too nervous to eat anything though. That was my first mistake.





August 9th, Peachmount School of Art and Design, 1:30pm. We were late.

I was moving into my new dorm, where I would be going to school for the next four years. Emotions attacked me all at once. Fear. Anxiety. Nerves. Terror, with a twinge of excitement.

I had always been super close with my family and I was heartbroken to be moving 2 hours away from them. My parents were so excited for me though. My dad never went to any college or university and wanted me to pursue my dream at a school, to give me the best life. My mom wasn't sure about my writing and illustrating goals, but my dad had convinced her. I was grateful for his positive attitude that day, as I was dreading the changes.

My brother Mikey joined us on the trip to school as well, which I was grateful of. He was on his last year at his college back home, where he was taking a law and security program. He teased me the whole way to Peachmount, my dad joining in occasionally.

It felt like old times, when we would go out for ice cream after dinner or go on long drives to nowhere. I was grateful for my family being with me, but I also felt homesick for my old life. I plastered on a fake smile and tried to calm my nerves.

We had toured the campus a couple times in the past year, and I had already fell in love with all the buildings and art pieces outside. I felt as if I was on a movie set for some college movie every time we stepped on campus.

We found the dorms, a short walk from the main buildings, and parked so we could figure out which building I would be living in.

After checking in with the dorm office (where I took my ID picture and received my freshman ID, campus card and room key), we headed to building C.

My mom and I walked over, guessing at what the rooms would be like, while my dad and brother drove the truck full of luggage and small furniture over. We walked through a small lobby that held vending machines and showed the way to the laundry, and made our way to the dorm area.

I was on the sixth floor, and was grateful for the elevator, which would make moving in much easier. Mikey and my dad finally find the building, and begin taking suitcases and things off the truck and into the building.

Another small family of three with a tall son pass by, making their way to a dorm. I feel a sense of relief knowing that loads of freshmen are in the same situation as I was.

We get most of my belongings in the lobby and head up the sixth floor to my room, taking the elevator up in shifts. I start to worry that I brought too much stuff, but push the thought down. I couldn't really handle any more worrying or overthink at the moment.

Luckily, my room 6-12 dorm is far down from the elevator, so I probably wouldn't have a lot of noise passing by the room. We get to the room and I unlock my new dorm for the first time.

We're greeted to white walls and boring brown desks and bed frames with shelves. One side of the dorm is filled with colourful clothes and belongings. A tall girl with long black hair my age looks up from untangling ear buds, and gives us a warm smile.

"Hey! I'm Annabelle!" She set her earbuds down and walks up to me.

"You must be my new roommate." She sticks put her hand. I shake it with my free hand.

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