merder university

the one where they meet

Derek Shepherd adjusted his beige trenchcoat as the harsh upper valley wind licked his shoulders. He stood in awe of the towering academic buildings surrounding him.

He was about to start the next four years of his life, studying at the prestigious Dartmouth University. Even more terrifying, he had no idea what he wanted to do.

"This way!" The student tour guide coaxed. Derek firmly grasped the handles of his two large suitcases, and trailed after the overly eager woman.

"Here's the Hopkins Center of Arts. This building has birthed world renown artists, and it's home to some incredible interdisciplinary students."

Derek nodded subtly, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar.

"Do you.. have a major in mind?" The woman prompted. Derek shrugged.

"Uh, political science, or journalism, or computer science, or ecology, or-"

"Renaissance man, I like it!" The woman cut him off, flashing him a smile as she death gripped his shoulder.

Derek forced a smile in return, which faded immediately after the woman turned around.

"Well, that concludes the campus tour, but I can show you to your dorm if you'd like!" Derek nodded again, and the woman pried his schedule from his grasp.

"Looks like you're on Webster Avenue, you're gonna love it!" This way!" She beckoned him down a trail that cut through the campus lawn. Derek gripped his suitcases and trudged along. As he walked, he observed the student life displayed in front of him.

A group of men tossed a football back and forth. Students lounged in the grass, various picnic basket contents strewn around blankets that had been laid in the shade of oak trees.

It definitely wasn't the busy New York culture Derek was used to, but the campus already felt like home.

Eventually, the tour guide paused in front of a group of flats. The green grass contrasted the auburn leaves of maple trees, which towered over the one story living quarters.

The neat rows of brick architecture reminded Derek of the Brooklyn estates he had grown up amongst. In that very moment, the entire world seemed to smell of cinnamon.

"As you know, Webster apartments are co-ed, which means-"

"I've gotta live with a chick." Derek finished.

"Ladies man, I like it! Well, I gotta go. Catch ya later freshie!" The tour guide chirped, turning around and slowly jogging to join a group of friends.

"Freshie?" Derek muttered under his breath as he watched the red-headed upperclassman walk away. He fished in his trench coat for his keys, silently praying the nickname wouldn't stick.

Meredith Grey was determined to begin her college
life as anything but ordinary.

She was no longer "Ellis Grey's daughter." She was Meredith Grey, ivy league student.

She had even considered changing her last name to avoid all the buzz around having a famous surgeon mother. However, after a heated argument with Ellis and a rage-induced drive to the local courthouse, Meredith realized it was a lot of paperwork.

Meredith observed herself in the mirror that was precariously propped up against the bedroom wall. She wore a pair of black leggings, and a gray, tight fitting dartmouth T-shirt. Both of which hugged her curves and made her feel like a true badass.

Meredith's false sense of confidence quickly crumbled as a heavy biology textbook fell from the wooden desk onto her bare foot

"Damn it!" She yelled a little too loudly, hissing in pain as she tried to apply weight to her sore appendage.