Late Start

Kimmy was late getting to NYUSH. A day late because her flight was canceled, and he had to catch a different one. Because she missed the first day, she didn’t get a new phone set up or a new bank account. Meaning she couldn’t pay for anything except with the cash she had, and some people didn’t want to take it. She also missed the trip to IKEA. 

Her roommate lent her sheets. For the next two days, Kimmy couldn’t find anything to eat that was gluten-free. She lost her water bottle. She tried to buy a water bottle from a vending machine but couldn’t get it out. When I called her, she broke down. 

After we got off the phone, I immediately went to work figuring out how to get her food and other things she needed. Jesse and I spent a long time trying to log in to an app that would allow us to send Kimmy food. But she was worried she wouldn’t get it because everything on the orientation week schedule was mandatory. We didn’t know how to get her any of the stuff she needed or make sure she got the food she needed.

I went to the FB NYUSH family group and the NYUSH parents WeChat and asked for help. There were so many Moms willing to help. One mom was in Shanghai, and her daughter lived two doors down from Kimmy. She needed to go back to IKEA and offered to get Kimmy some things. She bought two tubbies worth of stuff. I paid her back through Venmo. Another mom whose daughter also has a special diet told us that Kimmy will find the food she needs on the second floor. So money people offered to help. Another person offered to take her to open a bank account. A lady who works on campus offered to help Kimmy with a phone. 

Pretty quickly, Kimmy started getting the things she needs. The guy who offered to take her to get a bank account (works on campus) found Kimmy and her roommate and showed them where to get Kimmy her food. 

Kimmy sent us a picture of her meal and sounded happy to be able to eat. Especially without worrying she’d get sick. 

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Today Kimmy went to the nearest Apple Store and bought herself a new phone with a physical SIM. She still doesn’t have her bank account because the school doesn’t give her any time off during the day. We were told today that the banks would be back on campus on Sunday and that Kimmy should go to Tower Five to get an account. 

Kimmy just told me this morning that she’s almost out of money in the account she saved while working over the summer. Luckily, her CD matures, and she can access that money on the 28th. 

Her tuition gets funded soon as well. Part of that funding will also give her money. 

She’s slowly figuring everything out. 

Now she’s trying to find friends and realizing that some people aren’t the kinds of friends she wants.