F or the first time in five years, I belonged to a gang of friends again. On my way back from lectures and tutorials, I would stop by each of their rooms to check in, chat, make plans. On weeknights, two or three of them would pile into my room under the pretense of studying together. That usually ended with our textbooks stacked on the floor and used as makeshift tables to hold nail polish or takeout food. The day after essays were due, when no one felt like working, we would go out to a pub or the college bar to chat with other students, or cram ourselves into a twin bed to watch a movie on someone’s laptop.

I never went anywhere by myself. Even a routine trip to the grocery store felt more exciting with friends, getting their thoughts on shampoo brands and recommendations on frozen me

See Full Page