Dorm 101

The oppressive heat of the Los Angeles summer clung to the air, a stark contrast to the humid Pennsylvania mornings I was used to. My new boarding school loomed before me, a sprawling complex of modern architecture that looked more like a five-star resort than an educational institution. Signs, bright and authoritative, pointed towards 'Registration,' and I wrestled with my oversized suitcases, each one a monument to Luciana’s insistence that I pack ‘everything you own, Ninnie!’

I managed to heave them through the grand entrance, the cool air conditioning a welcome relief. My gaze swept across the marble floors, the high ceilings, and the throngs of well-dressed teenagers, a sea of unfamiliar faces. This was it. My fresh start. New city, new school, new me.

“Thank you!” I called out to the taxi driver, fumbling for a tip. As I stepped out, the sheer scale of the campus hit me. It was huge. Like, ridiculously huge. I clutched my registration papers, a flicker of apprehension mixing with my excitement. I just hoped I could find my way around without getting completely lost on day one.