New Beginnings
Emily Prentiss had always been a planner. From a young age, she had known exactly what she wanted to do with her life, and she had pursued her goals with unrelenting determination. That's why it was such a shock to her system when she arrived at the University of Virginia and realized that she didn't have everything figured out after all.
It wasn't that she didn't know what she wanted to study - she had decided on psychology long before she applied to college. It was more that she didn't know how to navigate the social scene of college. Emily had always been a bit of a loner, preferring books to people, but she knew that college was supposed to be different. She was supposed to make friends and have fun, not spend all her time studying.
It was on her second day on campus that she met Jennifer Jareau, a bubbly blonde who seemed to know everyone and everything. They were both waiting in line at the campus coffee shop, and Jennifer struck up a conversation with Emily almost immediately.
"Hey, I'm Jennifer but everyone calls JJ," Jennifer said, flashing Emily a bright smile. "You're new here, right?"
Emily nodded, feeling slightly intimidated by Jennifer's easy confidence. "Yeah, I just got here yesterday."
"Cool! What are you studying?"
"Psychology," Emily said, feeling a bit more comfortable now that they were talking about something she knew well.
"Awesome! I'm a communications major myself. It's such a fun field."
They chatted for a few more minutes before Jennifer had to dash off to class, but before she left, she scribbled her number on a scrap of paper and handed it to Emily.
"Text me if you want to grab lunch or something," she said. "I know it can be tough to make friends at first, but don't worry, you'll find your people soon enough."
Emily watched her go, feeling a strange mixture of relief and confusion. She had been so focused on her studies that she had never really thought about making friends before. But now that she was here, surrounded by thousands of new faces, she realized how lonely it could be without anyone to talk to.
Maybe Jennifer was right. Maybe it was time to start putting herself out there and trying new things.
As she walked back to her dorm room, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in her chest. Maybe college wasn't going to be so bad after all.