As an ordinary genius

The campus of MIT was sprawling and modern, with its iconic dome standing tall in the center. Ethan stepped out of the cab, suitcase in hand, staring up at the building in awe. The reality of being here still felt like a dream. He had grown up watching documentaries and reading about the institute's breakthroughs, and now, he was a part of it.

The chatter of students moving into their dorms filled the air. Some were lugging heavy boxes, others were catching up with friends, and the faint sound of laughter echoed across the quad. Ethan adjusted his backpack and headed toward his assigned dormitory: Baker House.

Ethan's dorm room was bigger than he'd expected, with four beds neatly arranged and desks tucked into each corner. Two of his roommates were already unpacking when he arrived.

"Hey, you must be Ethan!" one of them said, grinning widely. He was tall and lanky, with dark curly hair and glasses that were slightly crooked. "I'm Rajesh, but you can call me Raj. Computer science major. AI and robotics are my jam."

"Nice to meet you, Raj," Ethan said, shaking his hand.

The other guy turned around from his half-unpacked suitcase. He was stocky, with short blonde hair and a confident air about him. "Name's Mike. Mechanical engineering. You into sports?"

"Uh, not really," Ethan admitted.

"Don't worry, we'll change that," Mike said, clapping him on the shoulder. "I'm on the basketball team. You should come to a game sometime."

Just then, the door swung open, and their fourth roommate walked in, carrying a guitar case. He was tall and lean, with messy black hair and an easygoing vibe.

"Am I late?" he asked, glancing around.

"Perfect timing," Raj said. "This is Ethan. And you are?"

"Liam," he said, dropping his bag on the nearest bed. "Music production and electrical engineering. Guess you could say I'm here to build the next great amp or something."

"Or start a rock band," Mike quipped.

"Why not both?" Liam replied with a smirk.

Ethan felt a sense of relief. His roommates seemed friendly and down-to-earth, each with their own quirks.

After they unpacked, Raj suggested they take a walk around campus to get familiar with the place.

"Trust me," Raj said. "This place is huge. You'll get lost if you don't figure it out early."

The four of them wandered through the main quad, passing groups of students lounging on the grass and others hurrying to their next orientation session.

"Over there's the Stata Center," Raj said, pointing to a futuristic building. "That's where most of the computer science magic happens."

"And that's Kresge Auditorium," Liam added, nodding toward a sleek, curved building. "I heard they're having a music showcase next week."

"Is there a gym around here?" Mike asked.

"Zesiger Center," Raj said. "Pool, courts, weights—you name it."

Mike grinned. "Perfect. That's where I'll be spending most of my time."

Their next stop was the campus canteen. The place was buzzing with activity, students grabbing food and chatting in clusters. The smell of freshly baked pizza mingled with the aroma of coffee and stir-fried noodles.

Ethan grabbed a tray of spaghetti, while Raj went straight for the Indian food counter. Mike loaded up on burgers and fries, and Liam opted for a simple sandwich.

They found an empty table near the window and sat down.

"So, what's the verdict?" Mike asked, biting into his burger.

"Not bad," Raj said, scooping up some curry. "Better than I expected, honestly."

Ethan twirled his spaghetti around his fork. "Definitely beats the food back home."

Liam took a sip of his iced coffee. "Yeah, but let's see how long that lasts. Cafeterias have a way of letting you down after a while."

They laughed, and Ethan felt a warmth in his chest. It had been a long time since he'd felt this sense of belonging.

After lunch, they wandered over to the campus playground and sports field. It was alive with energy—students playing soccer, others tossing a frisbee, and a group doing yoga under a tree.

Mike's eyes lit up at the sight of the basketball court. "I'll catch you guys later," he said, running off to join a pickup game.

Raj and Ethan sat on a bench, watching the activity around them.

"Ever play any sports?" Raj asked.

"Not really," Ethan admitted. "I was more into building stuff than running around."

Raj nodded. "Same. Though I did try cricket once. Let's just say it didn't end well."

Liam strummed his guitar lazily, adding a mellow soundtrack to the scene.

"This place is something else, huh?" Ethan said, looking around.

"Yeah," Raj said. "Crazy to think we're actually here. MIT. The stuff of dreams."

"Feels like a fresh start," Ethan said softly.

Raj smiled. "Here's to making it count."

That evening, back in their dorm room, the four of them sat around talking about their plans for the semester.

"I want to build a robot that can solve a Rubik's Cube in under five seconds," Raj said.

"I'm thinking of designing a drone," Mike said. "Something small and fast, maybe for racing."

"I just want to make music and maybe design an amp that doesn't cost a fortune," Liam said.

Ethan hesitated before speaking. "I'm… not sure yet. I guess I just want to figure out what I'm really good at."

"That's fair," Raj said. "Plenty of time to figure it out."

As the lights dimmed and the campus quieted for the night, Ethan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be.