Chapter 4: The First Day of Class

August 26th

Emma awoke to her iPhone alarm. Her head felt heavy, despite the relatively little drinking she did last night. She wipes her groggy eyes, keening to silence the damn alarm as fast as humanly possible. She reaches over and silences her phone and flops back on her pillow. This was a big day, and she did not feel ready.

She looked over at Nicole's bed. She had tossed and turned all night because her bed was a mess and her right arm was extended off the side of the bed, Nicole's head nowhere close to the pillow. The blanket barely covered her, with her brassiere completely exposed to the sunlight pouring into the room. Nicole's lower half managed to avoid exposure, and Emma was somewhat glad about this.

Emma picked up her phone and looked at her notifications, seeing first a notification from her mom reading: "Go get 'em, sweetie!"

Emma smiled; her mom always knew how to support her.

With conjured willpower, Emma pulled the covers off herself. She stepped out of bed and towards her closet. Opening it, it was clear just how many more clothes Nicole owned than Emma, but in terms of total fabric footage, they were about the same.

Emma put on her first fit for the school year, a pair of jeans ripped at the knee and a loose sweater over a tank top. She was a good student, but she wasn't trying to stand out for the wrong reasons. She did her makeup and hair at her desk, a small mirror being the only means to gauge her abilities. She looked at herself in the full-length mirror on Nicole's side of the room.

As she saw herself in the mirror, she began to understand why the girls had complimented her so much. She was a bombshell in a regular girl's outfit. She began to think about how maybe she was pretty enough to hang with them, maybe one day dress like them. She wouldn't want that much attention, though. She couldn't handle it, she told herself.

She then threw all her school supplies together: laptop, notebooks, pencils, phone, and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She looked over at Nicole, in a deep sleep on her bed. She'll be fine, she just needs some more rest. She looked over and saw the tissues from last night in Nicole's trash can, reminding her of what she saw last night. She wouldn't think about it. It would be rude to mention it.

With that, Emma stepped over to her dorm room door and swung the door open, stepping for the first time toward her first class of university.

---

Emma was a little lost. Riverside was massive. How could she navigate this mass of buildings with not-so-clear signage? She had missed orientation on account of a volleyball championship she had to attend. She lost, but it was still a lot of fun.

At a certain point, by looking confused enough, Emma felt a tap on her shoulder, turning around to see a girl standing there next to her.

"You seem lost, do you need help finding somewhere?" she asked.

"Oh, hi," Emma replied, taken aback by her choice of outfit. "I'm looking for Lecture Hall C. Do you know where it is?"

"Ah, yes, it's just over there." She said, pointing northeasterly across the quad. "It's going to be the building right next to the Student Body center, and it should have a purple banner advertising the football team on it."

Emma squinted her eyes, looking over the sea of students currently getting to class in the quad. Eventually, she spots it. "Oh, thank you."

"It's no problem. I just like helping lost souls," she says before walking off on her way.

Emma made her way through the student body and across the quad. Everyone here had such a different vibe than Willow Creek. Most seemed antisocial, disinterested in talking with others. Most walked alone, headphones in, walking fast towards their next class. Most of the students were also quite attractive. Emma caught herself staring at quite a few students, male and female.

The campus itself was also beautiful at this time. Almost none of the trees had started wilting yet, and there was greenery all over the place. Despite the mismatched buildings, the campus had this chill vibe to it that Emma liked.

Eventually, Emma arrived at Lecture Hall C to attend her Intro to Psychology course. She went inside and saw a massive lecture hall with almost 200 seats in it. Some students were already seated, but there were some empty seats left. She went down to the middle and picked a seat near the end of one of the rows to set up her school supplies. She had about five minutes before the class was about to start.

"Hi! Is this seat taken?" Emma heard a voice beside her say. She turned to look at her.

"Oh no, not at all," Emma exclaimed, quickly moving her stuff from the adjacent seat to make space.

The girl proceeded to sit down right next to Emma and hold out her hand. "Hi! I'm Priya!"

"Hi, I'm Emma!" Emma took her hand and shook it, admiring the softness of her hands.

"So, are you also a first-year?"

"Yeah, I'm currently undeclared. I'm taking a couple of different classes to decide what is right for me."

"Ah, that's cool. I'm a pre-med student. I wanna be a neuroscientist when I get out of school."

Emma looked intimidated. "Well, that's... impressive."

"Don't worry, I'm still cool despite that. I'm just looking for new friends and study buddies."

"I don't mind. I'm not particularly good at making friends on my own, so it's nice that you introduced yourself to me."

"Well, sometimes you get lucky, and you seem like a really nice girl. I love your outfit by the way." Priya said, getting her school stuff out now.

"Oh, thank you... I like yours too. It's very innovative. I've never seen anyone wear a lab coat quite like you."

Suddenly, Emma saw a woman walk down the stairs closest to her to the center of the lecture hall.

She got on stage with a warm smile, setting her coffee cup on the podium, a faint stain already visible on her blazer. Adjusting her glasses, she began.

"Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Introduction to Psychology, or, as I like to call it, the adventure into the wild, wonderful mess of the human mind! I’m Dr. Elena Marquez, your guide for this semester, and I promise we’re going to have some fun while unraveling what makes us tick." She began to take out her laptop and hook it up to the lecture hall to put up her PowerPoint.

"If you’re here because you think psychology is all about reading people’s minds, well, I hate to disappoint you, but no crystal balls allowed!" Only a couple of students laughed at the joke, but this did not deter her.

"But we will learn to understand behavior, thoughts, and yes, even those quirky little identity shifts that sneak up on us." She had set up her computer by this point, with the powerpoint coming out of the projector now.

"Let’s start with the basics. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior, pretty broad, right? We’re talking everything from why you panic before a test to why you can’t stop scrolling TikTok at 2 a.m. This class will cover the big pillars: biological bases, sensation and perception, learning, memory, social influence, and—my personal favorite: personality and identity. Why identity? Because it’s where we figure out who we are, and trust me, that’s a journey that doesn’t stop, especially here at Riverside with all its new faces and experiences." She broke from the podium, holding a remote as she walked out across the lecture stage.

"I’ll share a quick story. When I was your age, starting college in New Mexico, I thought I knew exactly who I was: quiet, studious, a little shy. Then I took my first psych class, and boom, learned about social roles and how they shape us. Suddenly, I was leading study groups, debating with professors, and even flirting a bit more than I intended!" She smiled sheepishly at the crowd.

"Point is, this field can surprise you, push you to grow in ways you didn’t expect. And that’s what I hope for you this semester."

"Now, a few ground rules. This is a big lecture, over 150 of you, I see you all, but I want you all engaged. Raise your hand, ask questions, challenge me. We’ve got discussion sections on Fridays to dig deeper, so don’t save it all for then. I’ll assign weekly reflection papers: short, just a page. They're to get you thinking about how these concepts apply to your life. And there’s a group project later, so start scoping out your teammates now." She smiled as she saw students looking nervously at each other.

"No pressure, but I’ve seen alliances form over less!"

"Let’s do a quick exercise. Look around. Now pick someone you don’t know. Got them? Now, in your head, guess one thing about their personality based on how they’re sitting or what they’re wearing."

A silence overtook the room. Emma looked over at Priya as she looked over at Emma.

"Okay, done? That’s your first taste of social psychology, making snap judgments. We’ll unpack how accurate, or wildly off, that can be."

She looked quickly around the room before ending up on Emma as the target.

"Right there in the third row," she said, pointing directly at Emma. "What did you guess about your neighbor? No pressure, just a word!”

Emma panicked briefly; out of all the people in the room, she had to choose her. She thought quickly, her brain immediately saying flirty but deciding that that would come off as possibly degrading. Instead, she opted for, "Responsible?"

“See? You’re already doing psychology! That’s the beauty of it; it’s everywhere. This semester, we’ll explore how biology wires us, how culture shapes us, and how we can change ourselves. My research focuses on identity transformation: how people reinvent themselves, especially in new environments like college. So, if you feel a little lost or a little bold this year, we might just study that together."

"One last thing—my office is in Social Sciences Hall, Room 210. Office hours are Wednesdays, 2:00 to 3:00 PM, or by appointment. I spill coffee a lot." She gestured to the stain on her blouse.

"So bring a napkin if you visit! I’m here to help, whether it’s a tough concept or just figuring out this campus."

"So, grab your syllabi; don't you worry, I’ll post them online too. I can't wait to get started. Next class, we dive into the brain. Bring your curiosity, and maybe a snack. Any questions before we wrap?"

A few people asked her various questions about specific aspects of the syllabi, test dates, assignments, and grading schemes. The usual stuff. Eventually, Dr. Marquez posed, "Any other questions?" to no further response.

"No? Great! See you Wednesday, and don’t get too lost on your way out!” With that, Dr. Marquez ended the lecture, putting away her laptop.

Priya looked over at Emma. "Wow, she's a really entertaining professor. I'm curious to see how deeply she can take this class now."

"Yeah, that identity stuff seems interesting. I'm interested to see how she handles it." Emma added.

Emma looked at her schedule, her next class being College Writing I at 11:00 am. It was 10:15 am right now. "Hey Priya, you wanna grab a bite to eat? I got a half-hour to kill between classes."

"Oh, sorry, Emma. I've got a class at 10:30. I'd love to get lunch or coffee sometime, though. What building/room number are you in?" Priya said, readying her notes app.

"Oh, I'm just in Horizon Court, room 53," Emma told her, smile on her face.

"Oh shit, that's literally just down the hall from me. I'm in room 46." Priya said, a wide smile on her face.

"Well, that's a nice coincidence," Emma said. "Maybe you could swing by at some point, we could hang out with my roomie."

"Sounds cool." Priya nodded. "Anyway, I need to get going! See you, Emma!"

She turned and waved as Emma did the same, heading towards wherever it looked like a place where she could grab something to eat.

---

She eventually found a campus coffee shop not too far from the lecture hall. It had a collection of baked goods and sandwiches in a display case next to the counter, where they also, completely unbelievably, sold coffee.

She is standing in line, the line is decently long, as it turns out, a lot of other students had similar ideas. Emma spent the time reviewing her schedule and cross-referencing it with a map in an attempt to locate the Arts Building.

"Well, look who it is..." Emma heard a familiar voice and looked over at the counter.

"Oh, hey, Nicole," Emma said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She gave a small twirl, giving a small peek at the jean booty shorts she wore underneath her mini apron. "I'm working. I need the extra money to help make my streaming career take off. Plus, it's good practice to flirt with strangers. I've gotten two numbers today already."

Emma looked intimidated. She remembered what she had seen Nicole doing last night, what parts she had been touching when she thought she was all alone. Nicole looked down at the apron, seeing the ever-slight hint of a bulge.

"So, what can I get you?" Nicole asked, her fingers ready on the register.

Emma snapped out of it, answering with a simple, "Just a ham and cheese sandwich and a mocha latte."

"Coming right up, cutie." She flirted, winking at Emma. "That'll just be $12.48."

Emma took $15 from her purse and handed it to Nicole, adding: "Keep the change."

"Oh, you're too kind, sweetheart," Nicole replied, semi-sarcastically. "You wanna leave your number. I'd love to see you later."

Emma gave a sweet chuckle. Nicole was such an entertaining personality.

Emma watched as Nicole glided behind the counter, making her coffee with a grace Emma never expected. Emma walked to the edge of the counter, waiting for her drink to be ready and watching Nicole move with grace. She was so pretty. A girl like her could probably get anyone she wanted; she had the body, spirit, and fashion sense for it. Emma considered the thought, a hint of envy entering her mind.

"I have an order up for Ella! Do we have an Ella?" she shouted, looking directly into Emma's eyes sheepishly. "Enjoy the coffee, roomie. It was made with extra love."

And with that, Nicole returned to the register with the same bubbly, flirty personality that she had just used on Emma. Damn, she's good.

Emma took the coffee and sandwich and left the coffee shop, sipping and taking bites as she walked in the general vicinity of what she thought was College Writing I.

---

After some time, with the help of the additional time from the 45-minute break between classes, Emma found the Arts Building on her own, thanking herself for being able to do so.

Entering, she found Room 204 and entered it. It was also a fairly large lecture hall. This one: roughly the same size as her psych class. She looked around the class, looking for a good seat. Sitting near the front, she sat down, claiming a good seat for herself. Next to her, she saw another young woman.

The young woman saw Emma sit down and stared at her for a bit. Emma, eventually, clocked this and stared back at her. The woman finally spoke: "Well, hello there." A little seduction in her voice.

"I'm Sofia, a pleasure to meet you," she said, shifting a chair closer now. She looked Emma up and down. "And what's your name, beautiful?"

Emma, flabergasted by the aggressive flirting, stared back at her timidly.

"A woman of mystery, huh?" she teased.

"E... Emma." She finally got out, completely dumbfounded by the overt flirtation.

"Well, it's wonderful to be sitting next to another attractive young woman such as yourself." Sofia took Emma's hand in her own, bringing it to her lips as she kissed it gently.

Emma was blushing immensely at this; she had no idea what to do in this scenario.

"So... What's your major?" Sofia demanded, her chin resting on her hands folded on top of each other as she looked into Emma's eyes.

"I'm... Undeclared." Emma stammered.

"Ah, darling, don't be so intimidated. I just want to get to know you. I won't hurt you." Sofia reassured, now putting her hand over Emma's.

The reassurance helped Emma, but the hand on hers did not. "I'm sorry... I'm just... shy..." Emma released.

"It's okay. I'm patient. I don't mind waiting." Sofia replied, her eyes perfectly sliding between Emma's lips and her eyes temporarily.

Caught up so much in this situation, Emma didn't even realize the professor had come to the stage of the class, and the theater had filled with students. Sofia seemed to back off with a wink afterwards: she was not done with Emma.

Emma looked at the professor.

"Alright, class. Settle down." She said, commandingly.

She begins, "Good morning, writers, or, as I like to think of you, future word-weavers of Riverside University! I’m Dr. Marianne Ellison, your guide through the wild terrain of College Writing I. If you’re here because you love spilling your soul on paper, welcome. If you’re here because it’s required, well, you’re still welcome, but brace yourself. This isn’t just about churning out essays; it’s about finding your voice and making it heard." She starts walking across the stage.

"Let’s get the lay of the land. Writing is power, power to persuade, to reflect, to reinvent yourself. This class will teach you the craft: how to structure an argument, weave a narrative, and polish a sentence until it shines. We’ll cover essays: personal, analytical, and persuasive; and you’ll learn to peer review, because trust me, your classmates will see what you miss. My goal? To turn you from hesitant scribblers into confident storytellers. Or at least get you to stop writing ‘good’ when you mean ‘great.’"

"A bit about me: I grew up in Maine, surrounded by books and salty air, and I’ve been obsessed with words ever since. My first college essay was a disaster, rambling, no focus, but my professor pushed me to dig deeper, and here I am. That’s what I expect from you: effort, revision, growth. This semester, you’ll write weekly essays, a midterm portfolio, and a final group project. Yes, group work: start picking your allies now. No lone wolves allowed!" The students nervously looked around the room, especially Emma, who saw Sofia's devilish grin right next to her.

"Let’s try something. Take out a pen and paper; yes, now. Write one sentence about who you are today. Not your major, not your hometown; just you, right this moment." She waited for the room to take out their supplies and tapped her foot as she waited five minutes.

"Done? Good. Now, crumple it up and toss it to the person next to you." Dr. Ellison encouraged, papers flying everywhere. Sofia's, of course, landed in Emma's hands. As Dr. Ellison calls on someone else to read what they were tossed. Emma opened Sofia's to read: "I’m the girl who’s gonna steal your heart with a headline—bold, curious, and ready to uncover every secret you hide, Emma."

She was laying it on thick.

Dr. Ellison continued, "See? Someone else’s words, someone else’s truth. That’s what writing does: it connects us, exposes us. This exercise is your first lesson: your voice matters, but it evolves. We’ll explore how to shape it—through structure, evidence, and a dash of courage. I focus on narrative and persuasion because they’re the heartbeat of good writing. And trust me, by December, you’ll look back at that crumpled sentence and laugh at how far you’ve come."

"A few rules. Be here, be present, phones down unless I say otherwise. Deadlines are sacred; late work gets a polite but firm ‘no.’ My office is Arts Building, Room 305, office hours Wednesdays, 1:00 to 2:00 PM. I’m here to help, whether it’s a tricky thesis or a confidence boost." Dr. Ellison said, smiling at the class.

"Grab your syllabi. Don't worry, I’ll post them online too. Next class, we’ll dissect a sample essay. Bring questions, bring coffee, and bring your best self. Any thoughts before we dive in next time?" Dr. Ellison posed.

As people ask Ellison questions about the syllabus or class details, Sofia's attention turned back to Emma. Sofia leaned over to her ear, also grabbing at Emma's knee. She whispered, "What's a girl gotta do to get your number?"

Emma tensed up, jerking her knee away as she blushed furiously. Sofia smiled at Emma's shyness. She was going to get this girl.

"No more questions?" Dr. Ellison asked, looking around the room for any more raised hands. "Excellent, see you all Wednesday for our next class."

"So, what are you doing after this?" Sofia asked Emma, still looking into Emma's eyes despite her keeping her gaze firmly locked to the floor.

"I... I don't know..." Emma stammered.

"Well, if you're not busy, I'd love to take you to lunch..." Sofia offered.

"I... uh... just ate..." Emma stuttered.

"Maybe, just a walk around campus then... I can show you around." Sofia suggested.

"I'm sorry... I just... It's been a long day." Emma admitted. "I think I just wanna go back to my dorm."

Sofia, understanding when she could no longer push the boundary, finally relented. "Alright, Emma, that's okay. We can go for that lunch another time." Her voice was more concerned than it had been earlier.

"Don't think I'll forget about you, though," Sofia remarked, standing up from her seat. "You're too cute to get out of my brain."

Emma sat there for a bit, allowing her brain to reset. She was completely unprepared for something like that. She had no clue what to do.

Eventually, she got up, glad that Sofia understood her boundaries. She walked out of the classroom and out onto campus. What a wild first day of classes.