On the First Day of School, Three Goddesses Set Their Sights on Me

September sunlight streamed through the plane tree leaves onto the flagstone paths of Beichen University, while the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms drifted through the air. I dragged my black suitcase past the stone engraved with the school motto, “Like the North Star, with all stars gathered around it,” and glanced at the excited freshmen and busy volunteers. This was where I’d be spending the next four years.