Totem (2 page)

              “Communications,” replies Michelle, “What’s yours?”

              “I don’t know yet. I am still trying to decide,” I respond. “All of the classes I am taking fulfill almost all of the prerequisites for majors I am considering so that is why I am taking them.”

              “Yeah,” replies Michelle. “First year has some flexibility as far as being able to take core classes. It’s the second year that you kind of have to bunker down and figure out what specific classes you need. At least, that’s what I have noticed.”

              “Yeah,” I reply, “that’s what everyone has been telling me.”

              Michelle smiles back at me.

              “Do you know where all you classes are located?”

              “No not yet,” I respond. “I need to do a walk around before classes begin on Monday.”

              Michelle looks across the room at the clock. I follow her gaze and note the time with shock. It’s only 6:30 pm. After getting up really early in the morning to drive here, unpacking and settling in, I thought it was much later. My fatigue had already set in and I would be ready to go to bed.

              “Well, I need to take a shower,” states Michelle. “After that, do you want to walk around campus and find our classes? Then we can go off campus and find something to eat for dinner. Everything on campus seems to be closed.”

              It did sound fun. I smile at Michelle. She is so full of life and excitement that I can’t help but to be excited back. So many emotions passed through me today and I am left exhausted. This is a good ending to the day though. Here’s a girl who is legitimately happy to be here that it brought out my happiness and excitement. Living with her is going to be a lot of fun. I can tell that from our very brief time together and I look forward to getting to know her better as the school year progresses.

              “Sounds great!” I reply.

              Looking happy, Michelle hops out of bed. Her chair is pulled close allowing her a make shift step to help get on and off of her bed. I take note of Michelle’s bright idea and resolve to do the same. She waves as she picks up her towel and heads into the bathroom closing the door behind her. I hear the shower turn on and the light splashing of water through the door and am, once again, left alone with my own thoughts. I grab a diet coke out of my mini fridge.

              I am going to need some caffeine, I think to myself as the all too familiar pop of the top sends a loud hiss through the room.

              I look around and smile. Moments ago with the absence of my dad and sister, the room felt so empty. Now it feels happy and comforting. With the introduction of my mystery roommate Michelle, I am finally able to fully relax. She seems to be a wonderful person and the perfect roommate for me. I take a sip of cola feeling the bubbles tickle down my throat. Once more for the hundredth time, I look at my class schedule. I do not need to take it with me on the walk around campus with Michelle. I already have each line memorized in my head but, right now, I have to look at it. In my head, it’s still just a dream. In my head, I am still that little girl living at home with her parents speculating and idealizing what college will be like. The paper is the hard evidence. It is the proof that it is not just a dream. It is a physical representation of my future hopes. I look around the room, MY room, and smile. I open the drawer and pull out some clear tape. With schedule in hand, I walk over to the light wooden wardrobe closet that will be mine for the duration of this year. I tape the schedule to the front of my door so all that enter can see. I tape the schedule up so that I can see, in plain sight that I, Kimberly Anne Storm, am now a college student.

              I smile at the thought. Warmth inside builds up as the hopes and dreams I held onto are coming true. Sure I have doubts. I know that the road will be hard, but that’s ok. Right now, right here, everything is perfect and just how it should be. What my future holds is excitement and new experiences that I no longer have to dream about, but can actually live. I look at the paper which is now a permanent fixture on my wardrobe one last time before making my way to my new bed. As I walk to the bed, I cannot help but say the words out loud hoping once again they will sink in.

              “I am a college student.”

             
I take a long drink of water
. The liquid feels incredible as it cools my throat on the way down. Slowly, I pull the fly away hair from my face. Some of the strands that could not fit into my ponytail stick to the sweat that incases my body. I take a deep breath. That was my first attempt at jogging in the New Orleans heat and I failed miserably. Two torturous miles of sweating and hard breathing is enough for one day. I sit reminiscing about how easy it was running in the cooler, humidity free landscape of Pennsylvania. Even the Alabama heat was easier at 8:00 am in the morning. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to pry myself out of bed early enough before my classes. So here I sit mid-afternoon seeking solace from the shade of the palm trees in our university cove half regretting my meager attempt at jogging. I take another sip of water as I admire the sheath of sweat that has formed over my legs in only twenty minutes of physical activity.

I take a seat at a newly vacated table in the cove. Days earlier, I surmised that the light breeze flowing off of Lake Pontchartrain would make running on the levees the coolest spot. It may be the coolest place in New Orleans, but it felt like one of the hottest places in the world. The thick humidity clogs your lungs as the sun penetrates you like you are the only object outside. The only cool place down here in the middle of August is an air-conditioned building. Even sitting here in the shade, the heat is so palpable and the air so moist that you can taste it. Just stepping outside causes one to sweat. I sit still in my chair for fear that any movement will cause perspiration.

              Despite the heat, I am glad to be in New Orleans. My mind runs over this past week. So much has happened in such a short amount of time. The excitement and fear of the new school faded away as the week progressed. Campus life quickly began to suit me as I grew familiar with classes and made new friends. I felt fully into the swing of my freshmen year. Everything was in line except for one thing. In high school, I was used to going to practices and training for sports. There was soccer practice and track practice. Even club soccer had practices.

Here, I am left to my own devices when it comes to working out and physical activity. I feel knowledgeable enough to plan a workout schedule, but it is finding the time to fall into a routine that is lacking. I sigh as the sweat begins to evaporate from my skin. I make a mental note that Friday at 2:30 in the afternoon is not a good time for a run. Maybe next week, I will replace it with the gym. Maybe I can run outside in the morning. That’s if I can wake up in time.

              “Hey Kimber!”

              I turn my head around to the sound of my name and see my roommate Michelle walking up to me with some guy. It is a sight that has become norm with Michelle. I look back at the table. As if divine fate intervened, there are two extra chairs around it which made it perfect for Michelle and random guy to join me.

              “Are you done your classes for the day?” Asks Michelle

              Thoughts about making a smart comment pertaining to the piece of paper listing my class schedule taped to my wardrobe pops into my head, but I quickly decide that would sound mean. I settle on a polite answer. One thing I am trying to work on this year is to think before I speak.

              “Yeah,” I reply taking another sip of water. “So I attempted to get a run in, but I am definitely not used to this Louisiana heat.”

              “Where ya from?” Asks the new guy

              “Pennsylvania,” I reply.

              I also decided earlier this week it would be easier just to tell people where I grew up and not where my parents currently reside. He nods in acknowledgement. As far as new guys go, he is kind of cute. His hair is brown and spiky. I couldn’t tell if he was attempting this look or if he just needs a haircut. Either way, it works for him. I do a head to toe once over look at his attire. He is wearing a pink polo shirt with a popped collar over a pair of khaki shorts that seem almost too short for a guy. On his feet is a pair of leather sandals. He must be a frat guy
.

              “I’m sorry,” Michelle begins looking flushed. “I need to introduce you two. This is Daniel. Daniel, this is Kimber.”

              I nod my head in acknowledgement.

              “Nice to meet you,” replies Daniel.

              “Excuse the sweat,” I apologize with a small smile as I gesture at my rough appearance.

              “Daniel lives in the dorms on the floor above us,” begins Michelle making small conversation.

              “And we haven’t met you yet?” I ask jokingly.

              I smile. I thought Michelle had already found all the potential cute guys in the dorms the first three days we were there. Daniel must have slipped through the cracks. Silently I give him props for his ninja-like skill at avoiding Michelle’s radar.

              “Yeah, I haven’t really moved in yet. My family lives in Metairie. I’ve just been commuting this week.”

              “But you have a dorm room?” I ask puzzled.

              “It’s free with my scholarship,” he replies.

              “That’s cool,” chimes Michelle.

              She throws her most award-winning smile at the guy. I smirk. Silently I laugh. One thing that I have learned about Michelle this past week is that she is very flirtatious especially with new guys.

              “So how has it come to be that two cute blondes get to room together?” Daniel winks at us.

              “Luck,” I reply coolly, “maybe a roommate survey.”

              “So you didn’t know each other before?”

              Michelle and I look at each other. We smile and then shake our heads no simultaneously.

              “It was just a really good match,” replies Michelle.

              I smile back. Truthfully, it’s a great match. I remember being so worried right before I met her. After we met, it was like we were destined to be good friends. We bonded over dinner this past Saturday night and since then, we have been inseparable. We spent the rest of the weekend and most weeknights together. The time predominantly filled with us cruising the floors meeting people especially guys on Michelle’s part but, regardless of intent, it was a bonding experience nonetheless. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with Michelle. Not that I think the worst, it’s just everyone has their own quirks and things that could set them off. Michelle seems immune to this. She probably thinks the same about me, I hope. I know that I probably have quirks that will shine through eventually.

              “So what do you have planned for the rest of the day?” Asks Michelle

              “Well, first I am going to take a shower,” I say as I point to my wet t-shirt. “Then, I’m free! What are you going to do?”

              “I’m not sure yet,” replies Michelle as she glances at Daniel.

              I could tell she was waiting for Daniel to offer suggestions. When he didn’t, she continued talking with only slight dismay dropping more subtle hints.

              “I really have nothing to do. I guess it’s one of the downfalls of being new. I do want to go out somewhere tonight. I heard of a few bars that are having drink specials.”

              “If you two are looking for a party,” chimes Daniel finally as he leans forward pulling out a piece of paper from his back pocket. “My fraternity, the Theta’s, are having a back to school bash at The Dock.”

              My thoughts immediately go back to my initial analysis of Daniel. Nailed it! I give myself an invisible pat on the back as I suppress the urge to giggle. Blocking out my thoughts, I focus more intently on Daniel. He pulls out a three by five paper flyer. I lean forward to read over all the details. The headline read “Theta’s back to school bash”. The most prominent thing on the flyer, however, was not the writing, but the woman scantily clad in a schoolgirl uniform. It is what I consider to be a typical fraternity flyer for a typical fraternity party.

              “The flyer says 10:00 pm, but nobody really shows up until eleven,” states Daniel.

              “Where is the Dock?” I ask

              “It’s in the Marina,” he replies. “You know where all the boats are parked? Well, you turn there. The Dock bar will be on the left past Coconut beach volleyball courts. You can’t miss the courts. The lights can probably be seen from space.”

              I nod my head. I have no idea where that is. Michelle looks at me gauging my reaction. I shoot her a look silently assuring her that I was just as lost with directions as she was.

              “Yea, we might stop by,” states Michelle nonchalantly. I can tell that she is using every restraint she had to just act cool and not bounce up and down in her seat.

              Daniel shoots her a look. I smile. It is like the two of them are playing their own little game of cat and mouse. The only problem is they both are attempting to be the cat. They wanted to chase but not be chased. My mind pictures them as cats. The idea makes me quietly laugh once again at the two of them flirting in front of me.