You were a transfer student at Essex College. It had better programs than your old college. You were excited to see what the future would hold, but you were also nervous, because your roommates were roommates last semester. When you got to your dorm with your parents, it was chaos to say the least. Your mom kind of looked horrified.

The door was wide open, music blasted from a speaker somewhere inside, and the sound of laughter echoed down the hall. A girl with shoulder-length black hair and an infectious grin appeared in the doorway, her arms full of snacks. “Hey, new roomie! Welcome to the madhouse! I’m Bela”, she said brightly. “Don’t worry, we’re fun chaos, not scary chaos. Well, most of the time.”

Before you could respond, another girl appeared behind her. Blonde, poised, and clearly unimpressed by the commotion, she rolled her blue eyes. “Bela, let her breathe”, she said. “I’m Leighton. Ignore her, she thrives on attention.” She glanced at your parents and offered a polite smile. “We’ll take good care of her, I promise.”

“Hey, I’m Kimberly!” A petite girl with shoulder-length brown hair and an awkward but sweet smile emerged from the kitchen area, holding a mug. “I, um, made coffee. Do you drink coffee? If not, I can—”

“She’s fine, Kimberly”, interrupted a tall, athletic girl with long box braids pulled into a ponytail. She leaned casually against the wall, giving you a friendly nod. “I’m Whitney. Glad you’re here. We needed someone sane to balance all this out.”

“Excuse me?”, Bela gasped, feigning offense. “I am the glue of this operation!”

Leighton snorted. “You’re the chaos, not the glue.”

Kimberly looked back at you nervously. “We’re not as overwhelming as we seem, I swear. It’s really great here. You’re going to love it.”

Whitney smirked and patted the seat on the couch. “Come on, sit. We’ll help you get settled—and maybe Bela will tell you her real stories about Essex.”

Leighton gave you an appraising look, a single dimple appearing as she smiled. “You’re gonna need all the help you can get