Campus check-in: 1

It was silly, rushing to early move in so to get the better bed in the dorm room, but it was important to Claire. She wasn't looking forward to the cramped room or sharing her space but she knew freshman had to live on campus, no ifs ands or buts about it. She had messaged her tentative roommate over the summer when they became assigned to each other but she never messaged her back. ~I guess communication isn't one of her priorities~.

Sighing, Claire was finally up to the sign in desk and put on a big smile while saying hello to the staff member. "Hello! Welcome to Gerald State College! Here's the list, find your name, sign, and I'll get your ID which will double as your building and room key". Claire flipped through the pages and found her roommates name first. ~Ahhh good! She's not here yet!~ She continued a few more pages and found her name, always one of the last ones. Claire Smith. Generic. Simple. Zero history.

Being an orphan that aged out of the system, one that was particularly over looked somehow she'd received the lamest of lame names, at least that's what Claire thought. "Here's your badge, you'll be staying in tower two, it's the tall building out this front door to the left. Room 726". Thanking the staff whose name badge read Bobby, Claire walked out the doors struggling for a moment with the two suitcases and back pack worth of belongings.

Slowly she made her way over to her building. She'd had an Uber drop her on campus from the bus stop. The Uber cost her more than she'd budgeted but she needed to be here first, she didn't have time to struggle the two miles with her luggage. Hoping there would be carts or an elevator she found herself disappointed while hauling her stuff up the seven flights of stairs. ~Thank goodness I am in some relative form of shape or this would have killed me~.

726, the dirty once golden color metal numbers read across the tall wooden door. ~Ready Cici? This is the first step into our new home!~ She didn't have anything to go back to. Everything she owned and was unique to Claire Smith was on her or in one of the three bags. She'd been saving since she was old enough to work under the table at the young age of 14 to have enough to educate herself. She'd fallen through the public system but she refused to fall through on herself.

~You'll have debt from student loans forever, but you'll have an education and a place to stay. Maybe even find some friends along the way~ She squeezed her eyes shut so hard it almost made her eyes water. ~Please... please... please... I just need a decent home~. Badge swiped in the lock, hand on the knob, she slowly opened the door. The air that filled her nose was generic cleaning citrus mixed with the summer heated breeze.

She opened her eyes slowly and two desks with lofted beds above their desk counter part came to view. One was pushed again the right wall and the other against the wall where the one window in the room was so while sitting at the desk the student could look out the window. ~Thank you!~ Claire walked in and put her things down on the desk out looking the window.

She took a moment looking through the packet that was on her desk, it was addressed to her. ~Oh, so this was meant to be my spot anyway.~ She smiled to herself, should couldn't help but feel that this was meant to be, her fresh start. Finally! The side of the desk/bed had drawers for her personals and to the side of the room door were standing closets for each of them. She hung the few shirts and pants she had, put the only other pair of shoes she had in the bottom of the closet and put the now empty suit case on top of the closet. The second suit case had the cheap second hand sheet set, blanket, and pillow in it. She made her bed and finished it with a small raggedy plush wolf doll on the pillow. Second suit case empty and tucked to the side of her closet.

Last but not least, her back pack. She pulled out the lap top, the second of her two splurges upon forming her budget. It wasn't fancy but it a decent chrome book that would allow her to get her studies done. She'd opted for ebooks so all her textbooks resided within her chrome book. Plugging it into the surge protector she was happy to see the school supplied. Next was the cheap dollar store desk lamp tucked into the left corner of her desk. The desk had two drawers, the top one getting her small wallet, various writing utensils, a calculator, and her journal. The bottom shelf getting the few binders she had purchased for the notes she planned to take for each class.

The last three items were placed on the small shelf on the desk to the right. A small handmade picture frame with a little boy and girl sitting smiling on a park bench, a small bowl of gem stones, and a pinecone. The items would seem odd to most but they along with her plushie were the most important items she possessed. She pulled her iPhone out, the first splurge she had even though it was two models behind, and plugged it in. ~Nap time~.