Finals Are This Week!

by Sebastian T. Vanilla

My first year at the Open Residence of Advanced Learning is coming to an end, and it's been an incredible ride.

I remember my first month here like it was yesterday. I didn't know anyone, and I posted on a personals board. I didn't expect anyone to be interested in me, but my inbox was flooded so much that I didn't bother reading any of the messages after the first few were dreadfully boring one-liners.

Art by Luckypan

I had posted a pic of myself in all my sweater-tenting glory. That's probably what did it.

I remember meeting my roommate Lily, and how she was like a foil to everything I embodied. I remained very quiet, and shied away from her impulsiveness. It took a lot of effort for me to open up and start talking to people.

For whatever reason (probably boredom from preparing for midterm exams), I went back to that personals site and started reading more from my inbox. Grizzwald's message stood out from all the others. After a brief introduction, it was just paragraphs about what he thought about me, and what he'd want to do with me. I think a little bit of Lily's impulsiveness had finally started to infect me, because I responded to him right then and there, by giving him a phone call.

We were starting to get to know each other quite a bit, but then midterms were over, and I sort of forgot about everything over winter break.

When class was back in session, I got into a bit of trouble with all my free time when I did that club dare. I'd rather not go into the details, but I learned some valuable lessons from the experience. For example, never go near creepy mansions!

Anyway, if Grizzwald hadn't messaged me, our relationship probably would have gone nowhere. I was so focused on my studies that I never imagined I could go on a lunch date with him. Grizzwald made it very clear from the beginning that our relationship was an open relationship. Even though I practically idolize him, I know how to respect boundaries. So our relationship is that of really, really, really good friends who have sex with each other (and other people too). He cares about me a lot. We talk about our personal and sexual lives often, and I'm so glad I've got him as a mentor for these things. 'You can't just go around fucking or being fucked by everything that moves,' he told me, 'Even though the most attractive person you've ever met might want your cock, you need to stay level-headed. Is one of you in a position of power over the other? What do you actually know about this person?' It all sounds like common sense, but it has such a stronger meaning when someone with a lot of life experience is talking to you. It was like he was teaching me his mistakes so I wouldn't make them myself. I can appreciate that. I don't think we'll be together forever, but he's exactly who I need at this time in my life.

What else? Oh, I learned it's always best to err on the side of caution, which I learned while exploring Marr Swamp with Lily and her friend Marlii.

Oh my, just remembering those tentacles again...

Art by RedPander

Oh! There I go again, getting distracted from my studies. It's been so difficult to concentrate, and privacy is hard to come by.

Oh no, and it's time for my first exam!

Wish me luck!