I set my bags down on my new bed and took a look around my new room—my new life, really. Today was the first day of becoming an adult, or so I told myself. I was miles away from home, far from my friends and family. That was the whole point when I applied to this university. I wanted to leave my old life behind, to stop being the boring version of myself when I was back home. With a teary kiss goodbye, my parents left me alone in this room to start my new adventure.
The room wasn’t much to look at. Plain, a bit damp-smelling, with just a single bed, a desk, a wardrobe, a small notice board, and a full-length mirror on the wall. I reminded myself this is what I got for choosing the cheapest accommodation. My parents’ high income meant I only qualified for a small student loan, and they refused to cover the cost of a nicer university flat. They also didn’t want to haul all my stuff up here, insisting I bring only the essentials—my laptop, phone, and a few odds and ends. They said there was no point dragging all my clothes along; I should just buy new ones. They had a point, I guess, but the money they gave me wasn’t enough to rebuild the designer wardrobe I was used to.
I caught my reflection in the room’s long mirror. I’m about 5’6”, slim but decently built—not too skinny, not overly muscular. All those after-school swimming sessions and gym trips gave me a body most people would be proud of. I’m not bad-looking either, with medium-length brown hair styled the way I like it. But even staring at myself, that familiar shyness crept in, the kind that’s followed me most of my life. With my looks and build, I should be confident, maybe even cocky—the kind of guy who could charm anyone. But I’m not. I’ve always been shy, barely able to hold my own gaze in the mirror. Back in school, I was the quiet kid, sticking to a small group of friends, avoiding big crowds, and never trying anything new. While my friends hit pubs and clubs, having a blast, I stayed home, too nervous to join in. I always faded into the background, overlooked by most. But not anymore. Here at university, I’m determined to reinvent myself—to be confident, make more friends, and try anything!
A loud knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I opened it cautiously to find a tall guy with thick, messy black hair. “Hi. I’m Tom, one of your new flatmates,” he said, extending a hand. “I saw your parents leave and thought I'd introduce myself.”
I shook his hand. “I’m Eric. Nice to meet you.”
Tom took that as an invitation to step inside, brushing past me. “Your room’s the same as mine. Bit shit, isn’t it?” he said, eyeing the space. Before I could respond, he pointed at my bags on the bed. “That's all you brought? Not much, is it?”
“Yeah, my parents said I didn’t need to bring all my clothes and should just buy new ones,” I explained.
Tom glanced at his watch and grinned. “Tell you what, let’s go shopping now. I need some bits and bobs, and you can grab yourself a full wardrobe. We can get some food after, get to know each other.”
Shopping with a stranger was something old I would’ve never considered, but I’m supposed to be a new person, right? Plus, Tom’s one of my flatmates—not a stranger for long since we’ll be living together all year. So, I agreed, feeling a spark of excitement.
As we walked down the corridor out of the flat, Tom pointed to a door. “You seen the bathroom yet?” he asked. We stepped inside, and it was as basic as our rooms, though bigger than the one I had back home. One side had two toilet cubicles and two urinals right next to each other. On the other side were two showerheads sticking out of the wall, each with a curtain around a small square for privacy, and a line of benches nearby. In the middle, right as you walked in, were two sinks attached to the wall. Tom cracked a joke about everything coming in twos. I was confused—why so much for just four people? “Seems like a lot for a bathroom shared by four,” I said. “Have you met the others yet?”
Tom looked puzzled. “Four? Mate, there are eight guys living here. You must’ve been thinking of a different place when you applied for this dump. Nah, I haven’t met any of the others yet, just you.”
My stomach tightened with nerves. I was already anxious about sharing with four people, let alone eight. My eyes flicked to the urinals again. “Is there another bathroom for the girls, then?”
Tom burst out laughing. “You definitely applied to the wrong place, mate. This flat’s all guys.” My confusion and worry only made him laugh harder. The thought of seven other guys potentially using this bathroom at the same time as filled me with dread.
The room wasn’t much to look at. Plain, a bit damp-smelling, with just a single bed, a desk, a wardrobe, a small notice board, and a full-length mirror on the wall. I reminded myself this is what I got for choosing the cheapest accommodation. My parents’ high income meant I only qualified for a small student loan, and they refused to cover the cost of a nicer university flat. They also didn’t want to haul all my stuff up here, insisting I bring only the essentials—my laptop, phone, and a few odds and ends. They said there was no point dragging all my clothes along; I should just buy new ones. They had a point, I guess, but the money they gave me wasn’t enough to rebuild the designer wardrobe I was used to.
I caught my reflection in the room’s long mirror. I’m about 5’6”, slim but decently built—not too skinny, not overly muscular. All those after-school swimming sessions and gym trips gave me a body most people would be proud of. I’m not bad-looking either, with medium-length brown hair styled the way I like it. But even staring at myself, that familiar shyness crept in, the kind that’s followed me most of my life. With my looks and build, I should be confident, maybe even cocky—the kind of guy who could charm anyone. But I’m not. I’ve always been shy, barely able to hold my own gaze in the mirror. Back in school, I was the quiet kid, sticking to a small group of friends, avoiding big crowds, and never trying anything new. While my friends hit pubs and clubs, having a blast, I stayed home, too nervous to join in. I always faded into the background, overlooked by most. But not anymore. Here at university, I’m determined to reinvent myself—to be confident, make more friends, and try anything!
A loud knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I opened it cautiously to find a tall guy with thick, messy black hair. “Hi. I’m Tom, one of your new flatmates,” he said, extending a hand. “I saw your parents leave and thought I'd introduce myself.”
I shook his hand. “I’m Eric. Nice to meet you.”
Tom took that as an invitation to step inside, brushing past me. “Your room’s the same as mine. Bit shit, isn’t it?” he said, eyeing the space. Before I could respond, he pointed at my bags on the bed. “That's all you brought? Not much, is it?”
“Yeah, my parents said I didn’t need to bring all my clothes and should just buy new ones,” I explained.
Tom glanced at his watch and grinned. “Tell you what, let’s go shopping now. I need some bits and bobs, and you can grab yourself a full wardrobe. We can get some food after, get to know each other.”
Shopping with a stranger was something old I would’ve never considered, but I’m supposed to be a new person, right? Plus, Tom’s one of my flatmates—not a stranger for long since we’ll be living together all year. So, I agreed, feeling a spark of excitement.
As we walked down the corridor out of the flat, Tom pointed to a door. “You seen the bathroom yet?” he asked. We stepped inside, and it was as basic as our rooms, though bigger than the one I had back home. One side had two toilet cubicles and two urinals right next to each other. On the other side were two showerheads sticking out of the wall, each with a curtain around a small square for privacy, and a line of benches nearby. In the middle, right as you walked in, were two sinks attached to the wall. Tom cracked a joke about everything coming in twos. I was confused—why so much for just four people? “Seems like a lot for a bathroom shared by four,” I said. “Have you met the others yet?”
Tom looked puzzled. “Four? Mate, there are eight guys living here. You must’ve been thinking of a different place when you applied for this dump. Nah, I haven’t met any of the others yet, just you.”
My stomach tightened with nerves. I was already anxious about sharing with four people, let alone eight. My eyes flicked to the urinals again. “Is there another bathroom for the girls, then?”
Tom burst out laughing. “You definitely applied to the wrong place, mate. This flat’s all guys.” My confusion and worry only made him laugh harder. The thought of seven other guys potentially using this bathroom at the same time as filled me with dread.

