Jack set his bags down onto his new bed and surveyed his new room. His new life really. He told himself that it was his first day in becoming an adult. After all he was living miles and miles away from home, his friends and his family. He always knew this when he applied for this university. Jack kind of wanted to be far away from his old life, he wanted to be a new person not the boring old one that he was used to back home. So, with a teary kiss goodbye his parents left him alone in his room to start his new adventure.
There was not much to his new room. It was plain and smelt a bit damp with a single bed, a desk, a wardrobe, a small notice board and a full-length mirror on the wall. That what you get picking out the cheapest accommodation Jack told himself. Because of his parent's high income, he only received a small student loan and his parents refused to make up the extra he needed for a nicer university flat. His parents also did not want to bring all his stuff to his flat for him either, there told him that he should only take the essentials like his laptop, phone and some bits and bobs, there was no point bringing all his clothes up to university, he might as well buy some new ones. They did have a point, plus they had given him some money but not enough in Jack's option to buy a full wardrobe of designer clothes he was used too.
Jack looked at himself in his room's long mirror. Looking back at him Jack saw a lad of average height, about 5 ft 8in. He was slim, with a decent body, not too skinny but not overly muscular either. Jack's time after school swimming and going to the gym had given him a body most people would be proud to have. Jack was pretty good looking too, with medium length brown hair style back the way he liked it, his face his gay uncle described as the cute boy next door type.
But even looking at himself in the mirror, Jack still felt the shyness that he had always felt for most of his life. He knew with his body and looks he should be more confident and cockier, the type of boy that could get any girl he wanted. But he couldn't feel that way, he was shy and didn't even like looking at himself for any great time in the mirror. Jack was always the quiet kid in school, he had a couple of friends but never bothered in big groups. Never trying new things, he was always stuck to the same things he was used to, swimming and video games. Even when his own friends were out going to pubs and clubs, having a good time, Jack stayed at home to shy and nervous to have fun. He seemingly always fell into the background, most people looking pass him. Jack was determined not to be faded into the background anymore. With his new life in university, he was going to make himself into a new person. Someone more confident, someone with more friends and someone willing to give anything a go!
When turning his eyes from the mirror, there was a loud knock on his door. Jack meekly opened it to find a tall guy with thick black messy hair. "Hi. My name's Tom. I'm one of your new flat mates. I saw your parents leaving and thought that I should come over and introduce myself", exchange a hand towards Jack.
Accepting his hand and shaking, "I'm Jack, nice to meet you."
Tom seemingly accepted that as an invitation to come into Jack's room and walked pass him, "Ah. Your room is the same as mine. Bit shit ain't it?" But before he could answer Tom, pointed at his belongings on the bed, "is that all you have with you? You didn't bring much."
"Ah yeah my parents said that I didn't need to bring all my clothes up here and that I should just buy some new ones", Jack replied.
Looking at his watch, Tom smiled and asked, "hey, tell you what let's go shopping now. I need to pick up some bits and bobs, and you can get yourself a full wardrobe. We can go out for some food afterwards. Get to know each other a bit more."
Going out clothes shopping with a stranger was something Jack would never have even thought about doing before, but he was going to be a new person he told himself. Anyway, this was one of his flatmates, he was hardly going to be a stranger for long he was going to be living with him for the new year. So, Jack agreed to go out with Tom, to which seemed excited about.
As they were walking down the corridor out of their flat, Tom pointed to a door and asked if Jack he had seen the bathroom. Walking into the room, the bathroom was as basic as their bedrooms. That being said it was much bigger than the bathroom he was used to at home. One side was two toilet cubicles and right next to them were two urinals side by side. On the other side of the room was two showers heads coming out of the wall with shower curtains in two small squares around each shower for privacy, with a little line of benches next to them. And directly in the middle of the room when you walk through the door were two sinks attached to the wall. Tom made a joke about everything coming in twos. Jack was confused by everything needing to be doubled up. He thought he was only meant to be sharing the flat with 3 other people. "Seems a lot of stuff in one bathroom for 4 people. Have you met any of the others yet?", asked Jack.
Tom looked confused, "4? There are meant to be 8 guys living here mate. You must have been thinking of another place when you applied for this shithole. But nah I haven't met any of them yet apart from you, none have arrived."
Jack felt nervous growing in his stomach and chest. He was worried about living of a flat of 4, let alone 8. Jack's eyes then darted to the urinals again. "Is there another bathroom for the girls then?"
Again, confused but this time laughing, "You have definitely applied to live in the wrong place mate. There are only dudes living in this flat." The mixture of confusion and worry on Jack's face making Tom laugh a little harder. Jack started to dread every having to use this bathroom, knowing 7 other lads might want to use it at the same time as him.
After they left the bathroom, Jack and Tom walked city together. Chatting about the courses that they were going to study, what gym they might go to and where they were from. Tom overall was a bit nice guy, he was seemingly full of the confidence that Jack lacked. Looking at him more closely as they walked Jack could not help but notice that Tom was a pretty good looking fella too, he was sure that Tom was one of those guys that could get any girl he wanted with his looks and easy going nature.
They both went around some shops together. Tom was more focused on getting stuff to decorate his room more. Jack on the other hand was on a budget and looking at his bank balance knew he didn't have much to spend on clothes let alone anything else. Tom helped Jack pick out some clothes, a few shirts, t-shirts, jeans and shoes. Jack was a bit nervous and shy going around clothes shopping with Tom at first but got used to it and by the end was enjoying. After Jack told Tom that he better not spend anymore money on clothes, Tom quickly took some of the bags of clothes of Jack and had a search through them. "Oh shit mate, I just realised you didn't get any workout stuff or even underwear?" Tom said.
Jack was frustrated with himself, his first day living independently as an adult and he could not even remember that he needed gym clothes and even the most essential, underwear. Tom then added, "hey tell you what mate, worst case you can always borrow some old joggers off me if you want for the gym. I ain't giving you my boxers tho," he laughed.