Author's pov
The first day of university arrived far earlier than anyone wanted.
At exactly six-thirty in the morning, an alarm rang somewhere inside the twelfth-floor apartment.
Jay groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.
Beside her, Keifer reached over to silence the alarm.
"…Five more minutes," Jay mumbled.
"You said that yesterday."
"And?"
"You weren't even sleeping yesterday."
She peeked out from beneath the blanket.
"Details."
Keifer chuckled.
"We're going to be late on the first day."
Jay sighed dramatically before finally sitting up.
"I can't believe we're actually university students."
"It still doesn't feel real."
"No."
She smiled.
"It feels exciting."
By seven-thirty, everyone had gathered downstairs in the lobby.
Or at least…
Most of them.
Aries came sprinting through the entrance with his backpack hanging halfway open.
"I'M HERE!"
David looked at his watch.
"You were supposed to be here ten minutes ago."
"I know."
"So why weren't you?"
"I couldn't find my shoes."
Calix blinked.
"…How?"
"I left them in the fridge."
Silence.
Everyone stared at him.
Ella finally broke it.
"…Why?"
"I was looking for milk."
Nobody questioned him further.
Higher Value International School – University Branch stood just twenty minutes away.
The campus was enormous.
Modern glass buildings reflected the morning sunlight.
Tree-lined walkways connected different faculties.
Students from dozens of countries walked across campus carrying books, coffees and backpacks.
A large fountain stood proudly in the center of the main courtyard.
Jay looked around in amazement.
"It's beautiful."
"It really is," Freya agreed.
Mica adjusted the strap of her bag.
"It feels… big."
"Huge," Rakki corrected.
Keifer smiled.
"Come on."
Together, the twenty friends walked through the main gates.
Above them hung a large sign.
Welcome to Higher Value International School – University Branch.
For a moment, everyone stopped.
Nobody spoke.
Then Aries quietly said,
"We actually made it."
Inside the main auditorium, hundreds of first-year students filled the seats.
The atmosphere buzzed with nervous excitement.
Some students chatted confidently.
Others sat silently, gripping their schedules.
Jay found herself somewhere in between.
Keifer gently squeezed her hand before they separated to find seats with their respective faculties.
"See you later?"
She smiled.
"Definitely."
The university president welcomed everyone with a short speech.
He spoke about opportunity.
Friendship.
Growth.
And making memories that would last a lifetime.
Jay listened carefully.
Every word somehow made the moment feel even more real.
When the speech ended, faculty representatives stepped onto the stage.
Students were called according to their courses.
One by one, the group split up.
Business Faculty
Keifer, Aries, David and Calix followed the Business banner across campus.
Their classroom overlooked the city.
Inside, rows of sleek desks faced a large interactive screen.
A woman in a navy blazer welcomed them warmly.
"Good morning, everyone."
"I'm Professor Amelia Hart."
"I'll be teaching Principles of Business Management this semester."
Aries leaned toward Keifer.
"She looks strict."
Professor Hart looked directly at him.
"I heard that."
The room burst into laughter.
Aries slowly sank into his chair.
"…Good hearing."
Law Faculty
Jay, Freya and Rakki entered one of the oldest buildings on campus.
Dark wooden bookshelves lined the walls.
Portraits of famous judges hung throughout the corridors.
Everything felt professional.
Their lecturer smiled kindly.
"Welcome."
"My name is Professor Eleanor Brooks."
"If you've chosen law because you enjoy arguing…"
Several students nodded.
"…You'll fit in perfectly."
Jay couldn't help laughing.
Art Faculty
Ella and Grace found themselves surrounded by paintings, sculptures and students carrying sketchbooks.
Sunlight poured through enormous studio windows.
The room smelled faintly of fresh paint.
"This place is incredible," Grace whispered.
Ella was already staring at a giant canvas.
"I think I'm going to like it here."
Medical Faculty
Mica's orientation took place inside the university's teaching hospital.
Everything looked spotless.
Students wore white lab coats even on the first day.
A senior student greeted them.
"Medicine is demanding."
"It will challenge you."
"It will frustrate you."
"But if you're here for the right reasons…"
He smiled.
"It'll also be the most rewarding thing you'll ever do."
Mica took a deep breath.
She was ready.
Culinary Faculty
Eman, Kit, Mayo and Eren stepped into what looked less like a classroom and more like a professional restaurant kitchen.
Rows of polished workstations stretched across the room.
The chef instructor clapped once.
"Ladies and gentlemen."
"Rule number one."
"If you burn the kitchen down…"
He paused.
"…Please clean it up afterwards."
The class laughed.
Kit immediately whispered,
"I like this teacher."
Music Faculty
Blaster walked into a building filled with music echoing from every direction.
Someone played piano.
Another practiced violin.
A band rehearsed somewhere upstairs.
He smiled.
He already felt at home.
ICT Faculty
Edrix and Rory entered one of the newest buildings on campus.
Massive computer labs filled every floor.
Large digital displays covered the walls.
The lecturer adjusted his glasses.
"If you're expecting us to teach you how to hack into government databases…"
Several students awkwardly looked away.
"…You're in the wrong room."
Rory quietly nudged Edrix.
"I wasn't."
Edrix raised an eyebrow.
"You definitely were."
The rest of their friends scattered across different faculties.
Josh headed toward engineering.
Denzel joined psychology.
Ci chose communications.
Drew enrolled in sports science.
Felix entered architecture.
Each of them disappeared into new classrooms, excited to begin their own journeys.
By lunchtime, everyone reunited beneath the large fountain in the center of campus.
The moment Aries appeared, he threw his bag dramatically onto the grass.
"I'm exhausted."
David stared.
"You attended two lectures."
"They were educational."
"…That's usually how university works."
Jay laughed as everyone settled into a circle with their lunches.
"So?" Ella asked.
"How was everyone's first morning?"
"I think our professor already regrets accepting us," Calix admitted.
"Our law professor is actually really nice," Freya said.
"The culinary teacher threatened us with cleaning duty," Mayo laughed.
"The music building is amazing," Blaster added.
Mica smiled softly.
"I think I'm going to enjoy medicine."
Everyone shared stories from their morning, laughing at awkward introductions and first impressions.
Although they'd spent the morning apart, it felt comforting knowing they could always meet again.
As classes ended that afternoon, the group walked home together.
The streets buzzed with students heading in every direction.
Jay walked beside Keifer.
"How was business?"
He smiled.
"I survived."
"You?"
"I think I'm going to love law."
He reached for her hand.
"I'm proud of you."
She smiled.
"I'm proud of all of us."
Behind them, Aries was somehow explaining how he'd nearly introduced himself using the wrong name.
Nobody knew how that happened.
Everyone laughed anyway.
The apartment building soon came into view.
Home.
University had officially begun.
There would be difficult exams.
Late-night study sessions.
New friendships.
Unexpected challenges.
And memories none of them could yet imagine.
But as the twenty friends stepped through the front doors together, one thing was certain.
Their next adventure had only just begun
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Hi lovelies, how did you like this chapter. Please give me ideas for this story.
Next chapter vote:
•skip a few WEEKS and add some drama 🎭 😝
•skip a few MONTHS and continue as normal life ✨🌸
•fully end the uni era 🌿☁️