Chapter -4 *First day in New york*✔

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I woke up to the noises around me. I couldn't believe that I had slept the entire journey, and was now in New York City!

I hadn't got enough sleep from past few days, mainly because I was too consumed in my thoughts. Now, I was feeling better.

My eyes roamed around the airplane and I watched as people packing their things. Realising that we are going to land, my lips curved into a vivid smile.

When the plane landed, I stepped outside into the terminal. Then I walked towards the baggage claim counter and picked up my luggage.

I looked around and noticed how crowded it was.

Most people were busy on their phones, and were walking so fast through the crowds with their luggage trailing behind them. Suddenly, I heard some yelling and turned towards my right. A soft chuckle escaped from my mouth when I saw a mother yelling at her daughter for misbehaving.

Amazed by my surroundings, I walked out of the airport and called for the taxi to go to the college I'd attend this semester: New York University.

NYU is organized into more than twenty institutes that are all located in six centers throughout Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. The campus I was attending was NYU Steinhardt in Brooklyn.

The taxi driver was kind enough to give me some knowledge about the city.

It was the middle of August, which meant it was hot and the air was full of humidity. The over-worn leather seat of the taxi was literally killing me. I was relieved that I was wearing a simple cotton shirt and Capri pants. My black hair was tied up in a ponytail.

The sight of the city was hazy. People were crossing streets into oncoming cars without looking ahead. I scrolled down the window and took a breath of murk and salt water. I looked down and noticed we were driving over Brooklyn Bridge. My jaw dropped and I felt myself lost in the beauty of the tall Brooklyn Bridge.

When the taxi driver stopped, I realized that we had already arrived at the school's campus. I was so lost in the beauty of this city that I lost track of where we were going.

I entered the college, and it was huge. It was mostly empty, maybe because I was early. I went to the office to collect my admission card and my dorm details, the place I would be staying for the next two years.

There was a woman sitting behind the big desk, who seemed to be in her late sixties. Her brown hair was fading to grey and her wrinkly skin was covered in makeup; her eyes outlined with black and lips painted in pink.

"Excuse me . . . uh, ma'am?" I asked.

"Yes?" She looked at me from underneath her brown eyes, with one eyebrow raised.

"Um, I am from India and I'm supposed to be reporting here today. Can you please guide me?" I asked nervously.

"Of course, dear." She smiled and said, "Well, first tell me your name so I can look for your admission details."

"Jessica Kapoor," I added, "from India . . . enrolled in the media course."

God! I was so nervous.

"Okay, let me check." She smiled again, making me feel reassured.

I waited impatiently, but after about five agonizing minutes, she finally found it.

"Okay, here. This is your ID card. Keep it with you, as you will be charged for a replacement. You will have to show this in the residential hall's reception. Then they will allow you into your dorm. The details regarding your classes will be provided on your first day of classes; they will start on September 1st. Any questions?" she asked, after filling me in on the details.

Can I go to my room, please?

"Uh. No, I got it," I said nervously.

"Good. Now, as you are new here, things will seem awkward at first, but you have to deal with them with patience. Don't hesitate to contact me if you need any help. Here, this is my card, take this. Feel free to call me anytime, dear," she said and gave me an encouraging smile. "By the way, my name is Rebecca Smith," she added.

I nodded and shot her a smile. I felt confident now that I had spoken to her. I waved her goodbye and headed to my dorm-I mean, the residential hall.

There's a reason NYU calls them 'residential halls' instead of 'dorms'. The word 'dorm' is enough to make anyone cringe. For me, it instantly brings to mind a prison style of living. In college, that means cramped living quarters (usually with bunk beds), a communal kitchen that's too far from your bed (especially on those days where the farthest you want to go is from your bed to the fridge and back), and a shared bathroom down the hall (that you wouldn't dare enter without shower shoes).

NYU did a great job of avoiding these inconveniences. The thing I appreciated about these dorms was that they're pretty separated. We each had separate bedrooms and bathrooms, leaving us to decorate them how we pleased. I like privacy, so this was a bonus. The only shared places were the kitchen, or you could say dining area and the TV room.

I got to my room after showing my card to the warden. I placed my fingers on the cold handle, opened the door, and stepped inside the room. I looked around and noticed it had one small window and a back door. I opened it, and it leads me to a joint balcony. A small smile formed on my lips when I saw the beautiful garden from the balcony. It was nice and I really liked it. The best thing about the room was that it was entirely mine, which means no roommate.

A long yawn escaped from my mouth as I headed towards the bathroom. I glanced at my reflection and found that my hair was sticking up everywhere, so I slicked it back into a neat ponytail. I left the bathroom after using it, then opened one of my packed suitcases and pulled out a medium sized t-shirt and my polka-dotted pajama pants. After changing my clothes, I jumped on my single bed. I was tired from my long journey. Sadness drifted over me; I had just reached here but still, I was homesick.

I called my mother to let her know I was safe and talked to her for another few minutes. Then I called Mahi and informed her of the same. We talked and we laughed, but the conversation ended right after I hung up. When all my calls were made, I laid on my bed and let out all the emotions I had been holding in since I got here, and the ones I was too afraid to express to my family.

But now I was alone, and it was the perfect time to let them out!

*****

The next morning, the bright sun was shining through my window. And guess what? I woke up to my first morning in New York feeling absolutely horrible. I cried myself to sleep last night, and now I was paying for it. My eyes were bloodshot and my head was killing me. I looked at my puffy face in the hand mirror. I closed my eyes since I didn't want to get out of bed.

I was missing my home.

Don't get me wrong; I don't regret coming here, and I know I'll love it. It's just that I was homesick.

I sighed, getting out of bed, and jumped in the shower so I could feel better. After taking a relaxing shower for twenty minutes, I decided to unpack my bags.

I had two suitcases and one bag, and I started unpacking them quickly. I put my clothes and essentials in my cupboard, then placed the toiletries in the bathroom. After completing the task, I got tired and decided to take a nap.

An hour later, I woke up and looked around. Then I realized it wasn't a dream. I was actually in New York! Now, I wasn't so sad anymore. I jumped from my bed, excited, as I got an idea.

I should go outside to explore the beautiful and busy streets of New York!

*****

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