Tessa thinks back to her first day of college at Washington Central University. This was a day she and her mother had been planning for all her life. Little did she know that day that her wild roommate and her friend group, particularly Hardin, would completely change her life and identity.

Tessa wakes up on her college move-in day and follows the plan she has carefully made for the morning. Her mother and boyfriend, Noah, wait for her as she gets ready, making everything about her appearance just right for the big day ahead. Even though she’s excited for college, Tessa worries about the only two things she cannot control: her roommate and making friends.

After arriving to campus, Noah, Tessa, and Tessa’s mother head to Tessa’s dorm, where they meet her roommate, Steph. Steph’s side of the room is covered in posters of bands that are tattooed and pierced, and Steph doesn’t look much different. She has bright red hair, wears heavy black eyeliner, and her arms are full of tattoos.