Excerpt
The impressions of the first days slowly faded away as Hermes was getting closer to his goal. He followed his studies with zeal, without wasting any time. His uncle sent him money regularly, and the funds from the scholarship arrived on time each month, funds that took care of his expenses, leaving him free of money worries to concentrate on his work.
This was also because he could move to the university dorm, a much more spacious place that he shared with a roommate. He read endlessly, learned, attended lectures and seminars; he studied and wrote all the required exams that were scheduled from time to time. He noticed his grades were excellent, and the way the professors and the TAs treated him was exceptional. Sometimes his creativity left them all completely astonished because he was also very good with practical things. His perspicacity and thoughtfulness even had his professors in wonder. The solutions he suggested for many problems were straightforward, based on solid ground, and at the same time, doable. Many a time, he challenged a professor or TA with his analysis.
He got to know many other students, making friends with a few that he chose with care. They visited his dorm room at times, or he went to theirs to talk, to discuss school subjects, or to spend pleasant evenings socializing. Except for the mornings when he attended classes, the rest of the day he spent studying…
