ROOM NO 501

I remember the day I first stepped into the Neighborhood, a private student accommodation. At that moment, I didn't know that this place would become this close to my heart, like my own home away from home. Room No 501, the ensuite in the Neighbourhood, the room that I will always claim as mine. It all started when I planned to move to Cardiff for my studies. After much consideration, my friend and I decided to live in an ensuite. It was the first time in my life that I had a private room. As Virginia Woolf points out, it's something that a woman needs. It was a small room with a private bathroom, a cupboard, a study table, shelves, many spaces to store and a beautiful view. My room.

My ensuite was on the 5th floor of the apartment. The room has a small window that gives me a bird's eye view of Cardiff's quieter but busier side. The small plant I bought for myself made the panoramic view more beautiful. At sunset and sunrise, through rain, snow and summer, my room showed me the best views. While studying and scribbling, this breathtaking view of the sky and the city has always inspired my thoughts. The sunset I viewed from here, the firecrackers I saw, the conversation from the street, and the privacy I had were the most incredible feelings.

It was where I felt comfortable to dream alone; this room made me feel secure, like my home. It gives me the warmth of my mother and the care of my father. It helps me to see myself through the mirror, like my sister does. The view of the sky, which I stare at daily, reminds me that I am living my dream. It's where I felt love, where I first started talking, the room I decorated, the space that taught me to imagine—the place where I cried hard without anyone's judgements or anyone to question. I could sleep anywhere, bathe any time, dance like a crazy person, laugh, talk, write, and do whatever I like. It was my place, the room that stood for me and with me.

Thank you, 501, for being part of my journey....