I was running late to my am class, again.

PHIL211, also known as Feminist Thought and It's Critics, consisted on enduring an hour and a half of Prof. Emerson's Ted talks on feminism, every other Tuesday and Thursday. Don't get me wrong, even though it's a curriculum requirement course for any undergraduate Pre-Law student, it was an easy elective course (for Pre-Law students of course). Most of the class roster consisted of female undergraduate students who were actually interested in learning about the history of feminism. I can't say the same for the male Pre-Law undergraduates though, if they were sitting in the old auditorium in Fisher Hall it was because they had no other choice.

My grandma always used to tell me growing up, camino malo se anda rapidito. Which translates to: if you're dreading to do something, the faster you do it, the better. So I guess that must be why most of the male Pre-Law undergraduate students are in their second year of their concentration.

And of course, we mustn't forget about the pride and joy of Bowling Green University, the athletes. Bowling thrives on collegiate sports, we suck at football, but we certainly don't when it comes to swimming. The Bowling swimming team brings a handful of funds to the school each year so of course, besides building and improving athletic centers each year they have to reward all of their student-athletes somehow.

Meaning that unlike any other regular student enrolled here at Bowling, they got to enroll their class on the first day of enrollment week. Most of them, if not all, like to pick classes in which they can put minimum effort into and still pass without breaking a sweat. Which is also the reason as to why, Prof. Emerson's section 096 (my section), is full of male athletes who have no interest in learning anything related to feminism or it's history either.

In Prof. Emerson's class you have to put in a lot of effort and go the extra mile if you want to have the chance to pass a class with a decent grade. But as I said before, Bowling thrives on collegiate sports and Prof. Emerson has a soft spot for athletes. Especially the ones who bring all the glory to the school. The Olympic kind of glory.

Last night, Peyton and I finished moving into the third apartment we have leased off-campus in the three years we've been here at Bowling. For the past month, we've been saving up to buy a nice couch that doesn't sound like it's going to break every time we sit on it yet we spent a good amount of money on Chinese takeout and three bottles of Tito's last night.

Peyton is the one to blame for the pounding headache I've been trying to endure ever since I woke up this morning and the money I wasted on the three bottles of Tito's last night. Unfortunately to my demise, the fact that I was wearing a blue sweater, pajama pants (unicorn pajama pants to be exact), and a pair of flip flops was my own doing. How embarrassing, I know.

I looked like an idiot as I walked through campus in unicorn pajama pants and it was all because my alarm didn't go off this morning (I may or may not have hit the snooze button for about ten times before I finally found the strength to roll out of my very comfortable bed) and I only had twenty minutes to get to Prof. Emerson's class. The smartest move would have been to skip today's lecture but if there's something Prof. Emerson hates more than tardiness is skipping. And to be honest I wasn't going to let it affect ten percent of my final grade.

Our apartment isn't far off campus but when you lack an important resource like a vehicle, a five-minute drive turns into a fifteen-minute walk to campus alone. And of course, Fisher Hall had to be on the other side of campus.

I picked up my pace as I began to see Fisher Hall at a close distance. Prof. Emerson was as old as she could get, she has been teaching here at Bowling for over twenty years and you would think she would know how to connect her laptop to the projector by now, but to my advantage, she doesn't have it figured out just yet. This gave me an extra ten minutes to get to class on time, the classroom was on the third floor of the building and like Prof. Emerson, they were old which meant that ninety percent of the time the elevators weren't working.

Now I would say that I had running up the stairs three floors up in less than two minutes under control due to my impeccable athletic ability and form, but Aunt Claire raised no liar. My athletic ability and form are non-existent at the moment, stuffing my face with shrimp tacos is my favorite kind of cardio and it has been for the entire summer break.

Out of breath, I walked up to the door of the large auditorium and I peeked through the small glass window on the big red door in the quiet empty hallway. Prof. Emerson was still setting up the projector. Perfect. I'll take the small win despite how ridiculous and utterly embarrassing I look.

I slowly opened the door successfully without making a sound. Thankfully everyone was paying attention to whatever they were looking at in their phones that nobody noticed me walking in. I sped walked towards Stensby and I's seat. It wasn't difficult to spot him in the very crowded auditorium, it's clearly hard to miss Cameron Stensby (also known as my best friend, captain of the baseball team, a proud Alpha Sigma Phi and the only athlete I can tolerate to this day).

Once Stensby saw me his eyes widened and then he proceeded to ridiculously make fun of my appearance. I swung my mustard-colored Billabong backpack at the back of his head before sitting in the empty seat beside him. "It's not funny Stensby, I've had a day and it's not even ten am."

"I can quite see that Everest, did you get run over by a bus or something on the way here?" Stensby jokes and I shoot him daggers.

"Very funny Stensby," I laugh sarcastically at his annoying comment. "To answer the question no, but do I wish I had? Yes. My head is pounding and I don't know if I will be able to stand Emerson's voice today."

"And who's fault is that? You were the one that drank a whole bottle of Tito's last night, more like chugged but you get the point."

I roll my eyes at Stensby. "You're starting to sound like Aunt Claire Stensby, shut up."

I took out my iPad and I set it in front of me alongside my pen, ready (not) to take today's lecture notes. Emerson stood up from her desk once she finished setting up her laptop and her voice filled the now quiet auditorium. "Good morning everyone, let's go ahead and begin today's lecture. But before I forget, Ms. Green the next time you walk in late to my class you will be begging for extra credit at the end of the semester."

Well, there goes successfully walking into Emerson's class unnoticed. Emerson one, Everest Green cero.

Twenty-minutes into the lecture the door of the auditorium opened. Of course, I was starting to think the guys from the swim team decided to skip Emerson's class today. I wonder what Emerson has to say about it (she doesn't). She'll let it slide, just like she has been doing ever since the semester started.

"Prof. Emerson, we apologize for interrupting your class, swim practice ran a little late today and we of course didn't want to miss out on your lecture." Christopher O' Connor said politely while kissing Emerson's ass. Liar. Coach Jennings postponed today's early morning practice.

"It's no problem really, take a seat boys," Emerson says sweetly. Just as I thought. You'd think that for her being a full-on feminist she would cut girls like me some slack for coming in late once, but it's the complete opposite. On the other hand, the golden boys of the school get cut slack for coming in late for the third time already this week alone.

The dream team of BGU swimming (as everyone on campus called the four Greek gods that just graced us with their presence in the auditorium) sat three rows in front of Stensby and I. They were BGU's chance of having Olympian alumni for the first time in program history. These four boys were beasts in the water and they were and still are conquering records in every meet they swim.

O'Connor was our best freestyle male swimmer with a hard to beat record of 18.87 s in the men's 50 freestyle, I played a round of beer pong with him in one of the Alpha Phi Sigma house parties and he was relatively nice for being an overpraised jock. The word arrogant falls short to describe Ross Dant, he's a backstroke swimmer and an Alpha Sigma Phi just like Stensby. The only difference between the two of them is that Stensby is not a dick. Dylan Becker is a six-foot-five fly swimmer, one of the best swimmers on the team, and Peyton's the one that got away.

And of course we mustn't forget to mention Matthew Connery, BGU's breaststroke Olympian prospect in all three of the breaststroke events. He has a very cocky personality (something I personally can't stand). He also has a little bit of an over inflated ego, which is somewhat understandable considering his impeccable athletic ability in the water. If I was being honest, I would also have an over inflated ego if I was just as good as him. Although, I have to say that despite his over inflated ego that comes out from time to time, he's a very humble guy. You will never catch him bragging about any of his memorable accomplishments or the fact that he's projected to come out with various gold medals in the next Olympic games.

Out of all four, he's the most praised and loved by everyone, especially the girls from Kappa Kappa Delta sorority house.

I personally haven't spoken to him (nor will I ever attempt to speak to him) I stay clear of boys like him. Frat-athlete boys only spell trouble and I plan to stay out of trouble until I graduate. I can't afford any distractions if I'm planning to get into law school after I graduate next year. Besides, I suck at making conversation with the male species, so I would rather save myself some unnecessary embarrassment. According to Peyton (my other best friend) and her trusted sources, he does have a crystal clear reputation. His one and only focus are the '24 Olympics and nothing but, which is something I can definitely admire.

The focus of this season for the Bowling Green University Panthers swimming team (as Coach Jennings has emphasized to the team and his many pre-season interviews) is to steal back the gold from OHSU, we lost the relay race last year due to a fraction of a second. Dant had a tardy entrance into the pool in the relay race and it cost us the meet. O'Connor tried his best to catch up to OHSU's freestyle swimmer Lawrence during the last 25 meters of the meet but it was almost enough and OHSU went back home with the trophy. Not even Connery's record-breaking meet in the 200 meters made a difference.

It's what everyone talked about for the rest of the semester last year and Coach Jennings has made it his mission to bring the gold back home. Like I said before, we take our collegiate sports way too seriously.

Prof. Emerson made us watch a forty-minute video about the history of feminism and it's origins before going off on her usual rants (rants that in my opinion should happen more often around here) about gender inequality on our campus.

My best friend Peyton has a low key part-time job in BGU's media center, she works as a photographer covering all things sports. She attends most sporting events on campus and sometimes, she even gets to travel with the teams when they have away games scheduled. I lowkey envy her a little, while I'm working shifts at the cafe on campus, Peyton gets VIP access to all of the sporting events and even gets to travel with the teams from time to time. Peyton also gets to work alongside Callie Campbell (a proud USC alumni who got to cover President Obama's first campaign run in the early days of her career). Callie is also the head of the media center where aside from sports, she and her team cover everything that goes around here on campus (from the usual topics to the most controversial ones).

"That will be all for today's class everyone," Prof. Emerson puts down her little black pointer on the brown wooden beat up podium. "Don't forget to read your assigned pages for the next class, I will be asking questions and you will be quizzed on the assigned material and today's lecture as well. You are dismissed, have a nice day."

"Emerson should slow down, it's only the second week of the semester. Everest, you should be the great loving friend I know you are and pass me those notes you took." Stensby says as we stand up from our seats. I put my things in my backpack and I swing my backpack on my right shoulder. I look towards the front part of the auditorium and my eyes locked with Connery's. It only lasted for a few seconds though because I instantly looked away.

Stensby spent most of the class doodling on his three-ringed binder as did every other boy in this class. So like the very typical jock move he asks a girl for the lecturer's notes. "If you paid attention to Emerson you wouldn't need my notes, Stensby."

Stensby rolls his big brown eyes at me as we walk out of the now empty aisle.

"Why do I have to pay attention to Emerson's boring class? That's what I have you for." Stensby winks cheekily as we step into the hallway.

"That's cute Stensby, you'll be kissing Emerson's ass for extra credit at the end of the semester alongside your friends with that attitude." I spit sassily earning a laugh from Stensby.

"Hey Everest," I hear Dant's voice coming from behind me. Stensby and I stop in our tracks and I turn around to face him. He had a smug look on his face and his three other friends were already laughing before he even spoke. "Nice pants, got any room in there for me sweetheart?"

"How long did it take you to come up with that one Dant?" I spit confidently. "I see you've been coming up with creative ways to get into my pants since I turned you down the last three. Give it up, I don't go for guys that have a brain with the size of a fruit fly."

Judging by the look on Connery's face, he definitely wasn't expecting a comeback at Dant's weak and embarrassing pick up line from me. O'Connor's and Becker's mouth hung wide open and they proceeded to tease Dant. "You'll say yes eventually Green, they all do. I'll catch up with you at practice later."

I turned around and I walked away with Stensby. "I was going to defend you, but I can see you can handle yourself with Dant."

"I like putting guys like him in their place, he has such a big ego and he's not even that good. He wouldn't even be in the Olympics talk if it weren't for O'Connor and Connery, they are the ones who pick up his slack in the meets." I scoff, I speak unbiased facts as a matter of fact. Even ESPN says it.

"You're not completely wrong about that." Stensby chuckles. "Peyton and I are going to the cafe for lunch, you coming?"

"I, unfortunately, will have to pass on this one, as you can tell the BGU's Pavilion is waiting for me." I frown. Coach Jennings decided to move practice to this hour. With the hangover that is currently killing me, I don't know how I will survive a three-hour practice.

"It's fine Green, I'll see you tonight then. The house is hosting a keg party tonight, Peyton said we could pregame at your place and then head to the house." Stensby said with excitement and I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Do you want me to depart from this life Cameron Stensby?" I questioned my very tall brunette best friend. "I'm still recovering from last night's fiasco."

"You'll be fine Green, now go to your boring ass practice before you are late and Coach Jennings makes you swim 3,000 meters just for the warm-up."

Stensby walked away and I made my way to the aquatic center — which thankfully was only an eight-minute walk away. One small detail I forgot to mention, yes, I am part of BGU's swimming team and no, I don't really bring any Olympic kind of glory to this school. I'm pretty good but not a Matthew Connery kind of good.

I started swimming competitively around the time I was a freshman in high school, I never considered (and still don't) myself an athletic person. But I took interest in swimming because aside from the fact that it was the only chance I had at going to a really good school since my aunt couldn't afford to pay tuition, it helped me cope with my issues.

My parents died in a car accident when I was two, I barely remember anything about them but Aunt Claire, my dad's sister, keeps their memory alive for me with all of her outrageous stories about the two of them. I never got to experience that type of love, but I got to experience (still do) a bunch from my Aunt Claire. She took on the job of raising a two-year-old all by herself and if you ask me she did a pretty amazing job. Growing up, I didn't have a perfect life, Aunt Claire worked as a nurse and between paying for my private school tuition and the bills, we couldn't really afford much. But it wasn't as important to me (the materialistic things I mean) I had her and it was enough. Besides, opposed to my friends in high school who had everything easily handed to them I learned what it was like to value everything I earned from my hard work and dedication.

Once I reached the pavilion, I headed straight to the locker room to change into my swimsuit. "Hey Everest, care to explain why you look like you got run over by a bus?"

Regan, one of my closest and only friend on the swim team asks and I laugh as I begin to change out of my clothes. "It's a rather funny yet long story Regan and I will gladly dive into the details once I have my swimsuit on. I have a huge headache and I don't want to swim 3,000 meters in the warm-up for being late again."

"Well, I will leave you to it. Though I don't think being early will make a difference, at least not this time. Coach Jennings is in a big mood today." Well, that's great.

"Does anyone even know why?" I ask out of curiosity, but I had a pretty good idea already.

"It was something about a segment that aired today on ESPN."

Just as I was thinking, nothing pisses off Jennings more than the reporters on ESPN talking shit about our team and our chances at winning state this season.

I put on my Speedo stripes and stars relay back swimsuit Aunt Claire gifted me for Christmas last year along with my orange BGU swimming cap. As I stepped out of the locker room I could see Coach Jennings pissed off face behind the glass windows in his office.

This was definitely going to be a long practice.