Darcy is an eighteen year old college student whose involved with the creative writing program at Western Michigan University. For the most part, she’s quiet by nature and is extremely trustworthy. She’s always there to lend a helping hand when it’s needed. She’s plain and wears very little makeup if any at all. Although she’s extremely shy, she’s not afraid to speak up when she knows something is wrong. Elizabeth is another eighteen year old college student at Western Michigan University. She’s Darcy’s roommate. Elizabeth is more outgoing than Darcy. She’s always on the go and visits more frequently with other people in their dormitory than Darcy does. Elizabeth is a business major and has a keen sense for style in addition to being attractive. The story takes place in a dormitory of Western Michigan University in January of nineteen ninety-one. The dorm room is a large four by four, wall to wall. Darcy and Elizabeth’s bunk beds are stacked on top of each other. On top of Darcy’s desk sits a lamp and a stack of novels. On top of the stack of novels is a small envelope. A dresser is to the right of the bunk beds. On it is a box filled with pictures. There is also a bottle of perfume on top of this dresser. Hanging on the wall just above the dresser are three framed pictures of students. There are paraphernalia of the university like stickers and flags with the Western Michigan University logo. On top of the desk between the two vanities is a picture of Elizabeth’s parents. The doors on both vanities are left open. Elizabeth’s vanity is overflowing with more clothes than it is designed for. Darcy sits at her desk reading when Elizabeth enters the room in one of her fits and throws her own books on top of her own bed. “Damn it all.”

Darcy puts a book marker in her book. She then turns her chair around to face Elizabeth who is sulking. “What is it this time?” Darcy sighs. Elizabeth pulls out her test paper from her book bag and hands it to Darcy. “I study and study for that stupid class night and day. That’s all I ever do is study, study, study. And then I get a D plus, C minus on my macroeconomics test. If I don’t get my grades up in this class, I’ll never get into the business college here at Western Michigan University. And if I don’t get into the business college, that means no degree in business.” Elizabeth shouted. “Well, a C minus really isn’t that bad overall.” Darcy said encouragingly. “The hell it isn’t.” Elizabeth said as she grabbed the test paper out of Darcy’s hands. “I need a three point five grade point average overall in order to get into the business college. I can’t have anything lower than that. How can I get in there with a C, D?!” Elizabeth complained. She walks over to her own bed and throws herself upon it,. She lays on her back and gazes up at the ceiling. “How are you doing in your other classes?” Darcy inquires trying to seem helpful. “I don’t know. I try and everything, but it seems that no matter what I do, I’m banging my head against the wall. In high school I was a straight A student. Now, everything is different. Maybe I’m not cut out for college. I tried to tell that to my mother but she wouldn’t listen to me. Try for all the scholarships you can. That’s all she ever said. I got good grades and I still end up working for my tuition. I got a two thousand dollar scholarship, but nothing more. My parents made too much. That’s why I didn’t qualify for the bigger scholarships. How the hell am I supposed to pay for my college education on minimum wage?” Elizabeth wailed as she took her stuffed animal from her bed and threw against the door. “You don’t receive any kind of assistance from your parents?” Darcy found it strange for Elizabeth not to receive any other kinds of scholarships just because her parents made too much money. If that were true than why was Elizabeth working at a minimum wage job instead of at a bank where she could have been receiving seven dollars and twenty-five cents an hour. With the kind of grades Elizabeth received in high school she was sure to get a job as bank teller and could have moved up very easily once she proved herself to be a dedicated employee and outstanding worker. But instead she chose to limit herself. Why did she gripe about her grades and everything else when she had it all. She was beautiful. She had a wonderful boyfriend. Yet, she was still unhappy. Elizabeth responds to Darcy’s question about her parents assisting her financially by stating, “Are you kidding me? My mom tries to help when she can, but my dad is too cheap. He’d rather see me struggle. According to his theory, when things are made to easy the child becomes spoiled.” Elizabeth had been working late every night in addition to taking on a full load. It was difficult for her to find the proper amount of time to get in as much studying as she would have liked, let alone get much sleep. She was so stressed out she thought she was going to have an ulcer with all that coffee she drank on a regular basis.