As a pulled into the parking garage, I couldn't help but feel the adrenaline pump through my veins. Every ounce of my being wanted to get out of the car and start sprinting, but I only just arrived I had an image to maintain. I hate to admit it, but I had picked out my outfit weeks in advance. This felt like the first day of the rest of my life and I wanted it to be perfect.
My mother died when I was young. Childbirth. Who did that leave me with? My father. He was always the controlling figure in my life. Wanted to know what I was doing all the time with whom. He held me to this high standard of doing great things one day. I felt like he had my whole life planned out for me, and I never wanted to disappoint him so I just did as I was told. Today, however, was a different story. I was finally free. Free of my dad. Free of restriction. I got to live life the way I chose.
I couldn't help but stop in front of the building and admire it. My new home. My dorm. Coming from a small secluded town, anything higher than three floors was rare. Granted I would be living on the third floor, but the fact that something that tall existed had me reeling.
It was the cheapest dorm on campus at around $1000 a month plus discounts for the construction. I was living in an unrenovated dorm, but honestly I didn't care. I had a place of my own. I flew up the stairs to the third floor and wandered the dimly lit hallways until I found it. Room 340. I jammed my key in the lock and spun it around for a solid 30 seconds, apparently not knowing how doors work. Throwing open the door, I scanned over the room. It was small (of course) with cement block walls and minimal furniture. We had two beds, two desks, two sets of shelves, and to the immediate right of the door a large wardrobe. Little did I know just how many memories would be housed in these four walls.
I've never been one for socialization. I don't mind it, but I don't go out of my way to meet new people. The first night I mostly kept to myself. I did, however, bring a projector and posters to adorn my room with, so I quickly became known as "The Movie Girl" throughout the floor. If someone wanted to watch a movie or had a movie related question they knew where to go. The reason I was so fascinated by movies? The stories. The escape from reality. Getting to be whatever you wanted to be whether that was a character in a sappy rom-com or a green vigilante alien. I didn't talk much to anyone, that is, until she arrived.