Mikhael Cross dragged himself out of bed as the sun peeked through the blinds, casting a gentle glow over his small dorm room.
He rubbed his eyes, glancing at the clock on his bedside table. 7:00 AM. Another day at Riverview University awaited him. The routine had become almost mechanical: wake up, attend classes, study, and repeat.
But deep down, Mikhael harbored dreams that extended far beyond the mundane life of an Analytical Chemistry student.
He dressed quickly, throwing on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, and grabbed his backpack, already filled with textbooks and notebooks.
As he headed out, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. His dark hair was tousled, and his hazel eyes seemed to carry the weight of unfulfilled ambitions. Shaking off the thought, he left his room and made his way to the cafeteria for a quick breakfast.
The cafeteria buzzed with the chatter of students, each caught up in their own world. Mikhael spotted his friends, Claire and Jason, already seated at their usual table. Claire, a petite blonde with an infectious smile, waved him over.
"Mornin', Mikhael! Ready for another thrilling day of chemical equations and lab experiments?" Claire teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
Jason, a tall and lanky guy with a perpetual serious expression, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, because nothing screams excitement like titration and spectrophotometry."
Mikhael chuckled as he sat down with his tray of cereal and toast. "You guys make it sound so much worse than it is. But honestly, I could use a bit of excitement in my life. Something more than just this."
Claire raised an eyebrow. "Still dreaming about fast cars and a luxurious lifestyle, huh?"
"You know me too well," Mikhael replied, a wistful tone in his voice. "It's just... I feel like there's so much more out there. I don't want to settle for an average life."
Jason leaned forward, his serious demeanor softening. "I get it, man. We all want something more. But for now, let's focus on getting through Professor Carter's lecture without falling asleep."
With a collective sigh, they gathered their things and headed to their first class of the day. The lecture hall was already filling up when they arrived.
Professor Carter, a middle-aged man with graying hair and a stern expression, was setting up his notes at the front of the room. Mikhael took his seat and tried to focus as the professor launched into a discussion on the principles of analytical chemistry.
As the lecture droned on, Mikhael's mind began to wander. He imagined himself in a sleek sports car, driving down a sunlit coast, the wind in his hair and a sense of freedom that he longed for.
But the fantasy was abruptly interrupted by Professor Carter's booming voice.
"Mikhael, would you care to explain the significance of the Beer-Lambert Law in spectrophotometry?"
Startled, Mikhael quickly scrambled to his feet, his cheeks flushing. "Uh, the Beer-Lambert Law relates the absorption of light to the properties of the material through which the light is traveling. It's important for determining concentrations of solutions."
Professor Carter nodded, satisfied. "Correct. Now, let's move on to..."
The rest of the lecture passed in a blur. Mikhael took notes mechanically, but his mind kept drifting back to his daydreams. When the class finally ended, he packed up his things and walked out with Claire and Jason.
"You okay, Mikhael?" Claire asked, concern in her voice. "You seemed a bit out of it today."
"Yeah, just... thinking about the future, I guess," Mikhael replied. "I need to find a way to make my dreams a reality."
Jason clapped him on the back. "We'll figure it out, buddy. Maybe we just need to look for opportunities outside of what we're doing now."
Mikhael nodded, appreciating their support. "Yeah, you're right. Maybe I just need to keep my eyes open for something different."
The rest of the day followed a similar pattern: classes, labs, and study sessions. By the time the sun began to set, Mikhael felt drained but no closer to finding the excitement he craved.
As he made his way back to his dorm, he decided to take a detour through the campus library. It was a quiet place, perfect for gathering his thoughts.
The library was nearly empty, with only a few students scattered among the rows of bookshelves. Mikhael wandered aimlessly, his fingers trailing along the spines of old textbooks and novels.
He found himself in an obscure corner of the library, a section covered in dust and seemingly forgotten by time.
He was about to turn back when something caught his eye—a glint of light reflecting off a book's cover. Curious, he reached out and pulled the book from the shelf. The title read, "Gem in Forex."
It looked ancient, and its cover was worn, suggesting years of neglect. Mikhael pulled the book out, curious but skeptical. The title intrigued him, but his initial excitement quickly faded into doubt.
He flipped through a few pages, only to find dense text on a subject he had little knowledge about. "Forex trading?" he muttered to himself. "Sounds like just another financial jargon."
Disappointed, he put the book back on the shelf, its mysterious allure now overshadowed by skepticism. Mikhael shrugged off the encounter and headed back to his dorm room.
Once there, he sat down with a pile of homework. The complex equations and chemical formulas provided little distraction from his growing sense of discontent.
As he tried to concentrate, his phone buzzed with a message from Jason.
"Hey, Mikhael! We're heading to the court for a game of basketball.It's gonna be lit!! Join us?"
Mikhael hesitated. The homework was pressing, but the thought of a break was tempting. He reluctantly agreed and packed up his things, leaving the books behind.
The basketball game was a welcome diversion. The court was alive with the sound of dribbling, laughter, and the occasional cheer. Mikhael played with vigor, his worries momentarily forgotten as he lost himself in the game.
Later that evening, he returned to his one-room bedsitter in the apartment not far from campus. The small space was cluttered with textbooks, notes, and the remnants of a life focused on academic achievement.
He sank into his chair, exhausted but momentarily uplifted by the day's activities.