"Aust, your tuition is due this month, and I've noticed how your grades have dropped. You can't expect to graduate with these."

   It's the same lecture as it's always been. And he'll look at me as if I haven't been taking college seriously. He'll give me his disappointed speech, and like clockwork, he'll hand me paperwork that I'll stuff into my backpack.

   "Are you listening, Aust!"

   I nodded on cue because that's what he expects from me, complete obedience, and seeing my discomfort gives him the idea that he has power over me. Technically, he did. He is, after all, my counselor.

   "If you don't get your act together, you'll have to repeat the semester."

   I nodded again. As the lecture ended, I shuffled away, letting the onslaught of other students hide me away from his scrutinizing eyes.

   "Another year, another set of professors."

   My friend Lemoine "Lem" marched to me with a grin, waving his schedule around. He was an international student from France. We've been friends since freshman year. He dormed while I commuted with 3 others. I say commuted, but I'm really the driver– just one of the ways I earn my almost-due tuition.

   Lem has been the only constant in school, but that's soon about to change. He's graduating this year, and I'm moving up to my third year at 23.

   They say, slow and steady wins the race, but it's not accurate for my case.

   They also say the poor gets a lot of help, but somehow, that isn't the case for me either. And I'm not incredibly smart enough to get scholarships. Maybe I'm just doing this whole life thing all wrong.

   "How does one live wrong?"

   Christopher was an art major, who came back to get his master's. He carpools cause his studio is near my place.

   "Like say, not enough fun, eh?"

   Justin was a junior, 20 years old, and a literature major.

   "What you wanna drink, Aust? I'll pay."

   Hani on the other hand was a cut above us all. He claims to be very rich but requires carpooling because he's afraid to drive on his own. As it turns out, he’s really smart and a full-ride scholarship.

   "I'll have a porter."

   Lem wasn't particularly well-off, but he afforded school just fine.

   "Stouts for me and Aust," Christopher patted me on the back.

   I've only really known them for a year. While they were consistently attending school, I had to stop every now and again.

   "What's your financial situation like right now?" Chris dropped his backpack on the floor with a thud. "Clay. Taking ceramics this year." He followed up.

   "Heard you aren't doing too well." Justin sat across from me with a stack of shot glasses. "I ordered soju."

   "Drinking already? We haven't even had our first week back yet."

   The previous three carpool guys I had weren't that friendly. One had been a law major and after a semester of carpool had bought his own car because mine didn't have a dash cam. Another was a senior who carpooled only on the days he had a load of stuff to carry. We were made his gopher. The other one was... Actually, I can't even remember.

   I preferred this bunch, only because they talked and prevented any stale and awkward silences.

   "Ya'll are my only friends here. You know." Hani said.

   "Don’t you have friends in your major?"

   "That's kinda sad."

   "Not as sad as Aust."

   I cracked up. "No one is as sad as I am."

   "To a new semester!"