"Cheers!"
The roar of nearly thirty voices erupted inside the common room, a cacophony of youthful excitement that rattled the windows of the dormitory. Plastic glasses clashed together in a messy symphony of sloshing liquid before the group took a synchronized, deep swig. Satisfied smiles and loud exhales followed as the students settled back into their seats.
The occupants of the room looked remarkably young, and that was because they were. Every person there was a freshman at the university, and they were throwing this impromptu party to celebrate their very first opening day. All across the city, similar scenes were playing out as thousands of students marked the beginning of their higher education.
