ROOMMATES

After the other students left, we first-years were grouped into teams of four, each group assigned to share a room for the entire school year. I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension as I learned who my roommates were. Some faces were familiar from earlier classes, while others were complete strangers. We were quickly ushered to the dorms, the sound of footsteps and hushed conversations filling the hallways as we walked.

The dormitory buildings loomed ahead of us—two massive structures that stood side by side, one designated for boys and the other for girls. Each building was a towering five stories high, its walls lined with evenly spaced windows that seemed to glow faintly in the afternoon light. As we drew closer, I noticed the intricate stonework that framed the entrances, giving the dorms a grand yet intimidating appearance, like ancient fortresses meant to house young warriors.