Dolly's College Experiences

Dolly arrives at Westover College as a shy, wide‑eyed freshman, clutching a suitcase and a lingering sense of home. The sprawling campus buzzes with chatter from older students, leaving her feeling invisible and unsure where she belongs. As she hesitates on the threshold of her new dorm, the weight of loneliness threatens to send her back to the train station.

A courteous senior, Miss Ainsworth, steps in to guide her, introducing Dolly to a handful of classmates and showing her the room she’ll share for the coming weeks. Their brief conversation hints at the rituals of college life—room‑mate assignments, communal spaces, and the inevitable adjustment period every newcomer endures. Just as doubt settles, a bright‑eyed, freckled girl pops into the room, her lively demeanor offering a glimpse of the camaraderie that might soon replace Dolly’s homesickness.

Through these early encounters, Dolly’s journey begins to shift from solitary apprehension toward the tentative promise of friendship and belonging within the lively world of Westover.