A few subway stops later I had arrived. I stood outside the gates that led to Rothmore College and trembled with anticipation. Huge brick walls surrounded the outside of the college. The walls were a rusty red and had dark green ivy growing all over them. Giant black iron gates were at the entrance and I saw other students going in and out with what looked like their parents. They were loaded down with bags and boxes and I once again felt self conscious as I looked down at my one bag/suitcase and the Forever 21 bag I had added to it. Bracing myself, I walked through the gates and immediately forgot about my concerns. The campus was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and looked even better than the pictures that had been on the catalog.
A large green grass covered area stretched before me that I recognized as “The Green” that the information packet had mentioned. White colonial style buildings with tall pillars surrounded the green area. Some of the buildings were all white with black shutters, while others had the same red brick as the outside wall. Students of all ages were basking in the sunlight on the green. Some were throwing Frisbees back and forth; others were reading on blankets. It looked like something out of a movie. I walked along the grey stone path that surrounded the outside of the green towards a building labeled Administration. I was hoping that was where I could get my dorm key and get checked in for school. As I walked I once again noticed everyone staring at me as I walked past. Seriously, what was everyone’s problem!? Feeling self-conscious for the millionth time this trip, I sped up my walk and hurried inside the Administration building.
As I walked in, I noticed a line to my left leading up to a counter labeled check-in. I got behind a tall skinny boy whose ears turned bright red after he turned and looked at me over his shoulder. He immediately turned back around, but his ears stayed pink. I listened with a smile to the conversations happening around me. Girls were gossiping about parties they had been to the night before. Guys were discussing whether the football team was going to win the championship again this year. I heard Damon Pierce mentioned a few times but couldn’t hear the whole conversation. Football was mentioned again so maybe he was on the team? I felt like a stalker since so many of my thoughts had been about him since seeing his picture. I laughed to myself. I was sure that Damon Pierce took up the thoughts of many girls, and probably guys as well.
No-one spoke to me but I was fine with that. It felt so good just to be around people and feel like I was apart of something after being alone for so long. When it was finally my turn, I approached the counter. A large heavy set woman wearing severe black cat eye glasses glared down at me.
“Name?” she asked sharply.
“Eva Taylor,” I replied.
“Identification please,” she answered, peering down at a list in front of her.
I pulled out my birth certificate to give to her, a document that gave me no further information on my past as both parent spaces had been left blank. The Andersons had of course never let me get my driver’s license or even a permit so this was all I had.
“You have been assigned a single room in Draper Hall,” she said, just as sharply as before. “Not sure how you managed that as a freshman. Don’t think that mommy and daddy will be able to help you out with anything else here,” she said nastily. “Rothmore College prides itself on being the best because its students are the best, not because they have money,” she continued.
I had been trying to be nice despite her rudeness, but I had reached my limit. “I happen to be an orphan actually. If you don’t know what that means, it means I don’t have a mommy and daddy. And I can definitely tell you I don’t have money either. If your little paper doesn’t tell you, I received a scholarship to go here and that’s probably why I have a single room. Thank you though for your oh so helpful advice,” I finished.
I heard tittering behind me as other students heard our conversation. Her cheeks had turned a dark red at this point and she kept her eyes down, avoiding eye contact with me. Without apologizing she handed me a map of the campus, my room key, and an orientation schedule. I had many more questions I needed to ask, but decided to find the answers to them somewhere else rather than deal with this wench. I walked away from the counter with my head held high, excited to have actually stuck up for myself for once, and ready to finally go and see my room.