H A R P E R
Freshman Reception Event
Welcome to Columbia University!
Join us at the main campus on August 25th for a day full of activities*, free pizza and loads of fun!
We look forward to meeting you!
Morningside Campus
Broadway and 116th Street
*Activities include: CU trivia game, late night outdoor movie session (bring a blanket!), secret friend scavenger hunt and much, much more!
The freshman reception event is one of the things I was mostly waiting for about starting college. Getting to know the students who were starting now, like me, and the ones that have been here for longer and that could help us, new beginners. Having the last bit of fun before classes actually start, learning more about the university, it was an event I'd always remember and that would serve as a turning point in my life.
But today, as I held onto that white and blue flier while sitting in my unmade bed at my dorm room, at six o'clock in the morning, I was contemplating that train of thought. I was definitely not in the mood to join a massive group of people to play silly games that are supposed to help you fit in but actually don't. For starters, my first night in my new bed for the next four years was anything but nice, with me tossing and turning all night long.
But I did want to meet some people, at least just a couple of students that would attend the same classes as me. Plus I could really use the free food.
That's it - I'm going to go, grab the food and talk to a maximum of two or three people and call it a day.
I placed the piece of paper on top of my bedside table, turned off the light and pulled up the curtains, letting in the early rays of sunrise. And felt massively content with being able to do all those things in the same exact position of my bed, where I've been curled up all night long, taking advantage of the insomnia to finish reading one of the many books I brought with me.
I forced myself out of bed and jumped into the shower. Afterwards, I spent some time in front of the mirror, applying just enough makeup on my face, that it would cover the results of a night spent awake.
Getting dressed today was a challenge to put it lightly, and choosing what to wear felt like an impossible choice. On one hand, all I wanted was to stay in my sweats, but on the other hand, I've always liked to dress nicely, and I did bring enough suitcases that fit my entire wardrobe, so it felt borderline foolish not to wear any of those clothes. Considering all of that, I ended up going with the most comfortable combination of clothes at my disposition - satright, loose jeans and a sweater.
However, as soon as I got to the Morningside Campus, aka the biggest campus of Columbia, I regretted my previous choices instantly. Nobody else was going in alone, like me. It was almost as if Columbia University was like one of those small towns that you read about in books or you see in the movies, where everyone knows each other and they go everywhere in pairs - the bakery, the bookshop, the grocery store. I felt embarrassed to go by myself, humiliated to some extent, and worse than that, being on my own when everyone else was part of a group, or in the very least a duo, made me feel seen, much more seen that the others. I stood out from the crowd, and that was not what I intended to do. All I wanted to do was blend in, get my food, learn a name or two and get the hell out of here.
Scratch that, just get the food and go. I could still do that. Stopping in my tracks, I looked around me. There was a large, blue banner by the entrance that read Welcome, Class of 2026! in big white letters that caught my attention. There were small stands scattered around the campus, some were from specific CU courses such as Arts & Sciences, Business and Engineering, some were from social clubs. I made a mental note to myself to avoid those at all costs.
My eyes scanned some more, until I found exactly what I was looking for. CU Pizza. I walked towards that blue and white stand, taking large strolls, letting the delicious smell of pizza fill my nostrils as I got closer.
"Good morning! I forced a smile but remained silent while I heard what the two older students had to say. "Welcome to Columbia University! What can we do for you?"
"I'd like, uh..." I quickly thought about my meals for the next few days. "Two large pizzas."
"We're actually giving them out slice by slice. You know, so there's enough for everyone."
"Oh." This was awkward. "Hm, how many slices are you giving out per student?"
"Well, since the event's just now starting we're starting with three per student, but as the day goes by we might have to cut down to two or even one-"
"I'll take three, then." I said, cutting him off and fully ignoring the looks they gave me. It was easier this way. "Please."
One of them grabbed a Columbia themed cardboard plate, while the other grabbed the pizza slicer to cut my slices to go.
"Which pizzas do you want?"
I looked at the ones they had on display, and the pepperoni pizza instantly caught my eye. I was immediately brought back to California, and the night outs I used to have with my friends, where we'd all eat pizza that Noah had made at the restaurant he used to work at.
"Anything except pepperoni." I said as I forced those thoughts out of me, and looked at the other pizzas. "One veggie, one cheese and one ham."
"Harper!"
I turned around out of reflex. Someone calls out your name, you automatically whip your head around to see who is calling for you. But if I had known that the person standing right behind me would be Wyatt Stone, I would have probably ignored. Okay, not true. I wouldn't have ignored him, but I would have definitely taken my time to thoroughly think of what to say before facing him, so I wouldn't be caught off guard. Like I was at this very moment.
"Wyatt, hi!" Was all I said. I was physically and mentally unable to come up with something better.
I expected something like How are you? or I told you we'd eventually run into each other here, but instead, Wyatt pulled me into a hug, a loose one, and smiled at me. And I can't deny that I enjoyed having his arms around me and his scent wrapping around myself like a second skin.
"Welcome to Columbia!" He said. "How are you finding it?"
Wyatt was looking casual, as usual, wearing black jeans and a white t-shirt with black stripes. His black curls were hiding underneath a Columbia University blue cap, with the letters CU embroidered in white.
"Um..." I contemplated telling him that I wasn't that excited about college as I used to be before coming here, but I knew that would initiate a whole set of questions I didn't feel like answering, so I discarded that option. "It's... cool."
He gave me a look, one that said that he didn't believe me, but I tried to dodge the bullet of interrogation.
"I just got here yesterday, so... haven't really explored it or started classes or anything." I shrugged, before changing the subject. "Nice hat."
His next move was unexpected.
"You like it?" Wyatt removed it from his head, brushed his curls with his fingers and placed the hat on my head. "Keep it."
"Oh, no, that's not necessary." I took my hand to my head, with the intention to undo his actions.
"No, it's my job for today." He chuckled, and I looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"I'm serious, me and my friends are giving those out today." He pointed behind him, at two other guys who were indeed giving out CU hats to freshman students. "What dorm room are you in?"
"508."
"Oh, those are good ones."
"There you go." One of the guys from the pizza stand, the taller one, interrupted our conversation. He handed me the pizza slices, one on top of the other with a folded plate in between them.
"I'm sorry, could you give me another plate, please?"
They looked somewhat upset but still gave me one, and I placed it upside down, facing the pizza slices so they wouldn't get too cold on my way back to the dorm.
"Oh, you're not staying?" Wyatt asked once he saw what I was doing, and I felt his fingers brushing against my arm.
"Oh, no, I..."
Come up with an excuse, fast.
"I still have a lot to unpack and organize." I blurted out, trying to sound as breezy as possible.
"Harper, you can unpack any other time." He reasoned, before his voice got all goofy and he cracked a smile. "Today is going to be so much fun, you're gonna love it."
"Yeah, but-"
"I get that you don't want to stay the whole day, but at least come tonight."
Silence echoed between us for what felt like an eternity, while I couldn't find a good enough excuse to protest.
"I'll think about it." Was all I said, my lips pursed into a tight smile.
This was good. I wasn't fully committing to go and I was neither letting him know that I wouldn't go.
"Okay, well..." His smile turned into a mischievous, teasing smirk. "I'll see you tonight, then."
I knew we'd eventually see each other here at University, I mean, it would be hard not to. And I always thought that whenever that day came, it would be awkward between us, given the history we have, but it wasn't. It felt like two old friends, who ran into each other. Which was true, we were friends. We have some complicated (maybe not that complicated) history, but we remained close friends, it's what we've always been.
Just friends.
* * *
author's note
hi lovelies! ahhh they finally met (at columbia)! what did you think?!
believe me when i say, things are really starting to get really interesting now!
question: first impression of THEM?
if you liked this chapter, please don't forget to vote and comment as well what you're thinking about LEOYAM ❤
xoxo, mars