(1250)Freshman Fall

A good friend in college gave me an autumn picture her brother took of the woods while driving her to college. He aptly named it Freshman Fall. I took the picture back from North America and deposited it with an artistic friend who treasured it and displayed it in her dining area which is predominantly brown in colour. A touch of gold in foliage added aesthetics to her nook.

During my freshman first semester, I had a tough time with my roommate. She was a bright spark, who at age 16 won a merit scholarship to my college. Although I was a mature student at 21, my short stature and baby face made me look younger than her. Despite her combative attitude, I tolerated it with a shrug. At the end of the semester, the aggressor went to complain about my daylight absences from a shared room. She was distraught that I brought the wind, the chill and the snow into our shared warm room late at night. The Housing Director called me and heard my side of the story. Well! I said my dear roommate was spoiled and arrogant. But as an adult five years her senior, I think she has great potential if she could stick to our college and hack it socially. The Housing Director laughed and asked if I want another roommate. I said no thank you. It was arranged that I was given a single right at the end of another wing. Right before leaving her office, I asked if it was a joke that I was assigned with this particular girl. Her eyes twinkled and said I was yet another outstanding girl from Malaysia who did well academically and socially in spite of any adverse circumstances. I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. Sharing the interview with my pals at the international table, I had a good chuckle with them. In a way it could be a high compliment to my compatriots. A Science Professor who was there counted on his fingers, there were no less than four Malaysian girls who won high honours (Phi Beta Kappa or Sigma Xi) at graduation during the past fifteen years or so. The college generally take in one Malaysian student every two or three years.

A year later, I heard that my ex-roommate was sent to Coventry for attempting to break up friendship of her close associates. She could not take the silent treatment and transferred to a community college near her home town. It was such a waste! Her biological father abandoned her and her mum. A full scholarship obtained was such a blessing to a deserving student with limited financial means. It was a pity that she did not lie low and persevered through the four years of college. All she needed to do was to apologise and eat humble pie to stay on. In spite of everything she did to me, I bore her no malice. Why should any American girl be nice to me just because I was a foreign student? Though some are, few and far in between. I find the children of diplomats, corporate leaders posted overseas, and military offspring are the most friendly to non-Americans in general.