**Dorm Room Holiday Mix-Up**

The usually bustling halls of Maplewood Residence were now eerily silent, the kind of quiet that blanketed the world during Christmas break. Most students had gone home weeks ago, their laughter and all-nighters replaced with empty pizza boxes and echoing emptiness. Jonah, a sophomore without a ticket to any holiday family reunions, was one of the last campers left on campus. With his family enjoying the beaches in Australia, and his own wallet incapable of such a flight, he’d signed up for Christmas Duty: feeding Felicia’s neon tetra and beta fish while she spent the holidays in Japan. Jonah had never minded solitude. In fact, he relished the uninterrupted showers, the persistent hush broken only by the sound of the heater groaning downstairs. He even made a ritual of the long, steamy showers he could finally take now that the signup list was gone from the bathroom door. That morning, he wrapped himself snugly in his fluffy blue towel, grabbed his key from the desk, and locked his door. The luxury of singing Pink Floyd at full volume was his reward. He enjoyed it so much, he didn’t notice his error—until he returned to the third-floor hallway, patted the pocket of his towel, and discovered Felicia’s pink lanyard dangling from his hand. Not his own. “No, no, no…” he muttered. His own keys, phone, wallet—all locked inside with nothing between him and the world but a very questionably secured towel. He checked his phone—also in his room. He tried calling the RA’s number on the noticeboard—nobody picked up. Campus security, too, was away for the holidays. After a full five minutes of pacing and imagining newspaper stories about “Half-naked Student Discovered in Dorm,” Jonah made a decision. He padded down the hall, inserted Felicia’s key, and stepped nervously into her colorful, poster-strewn room. Inside, panic gave way to a practical assessment: he could at least put on some clothes while he figured out his next move. He opened her wardrobe and stared at a row of bright, unfamiliar fabrics. Cheered by Felicia’s note—“Feel free to borrow snacks, Pocky in the red box! Thanks again!”—Jonah decided to borrow something more substantial. It started as an act of necessity: a pair of powder-blue panties that fit a little too snugly, mostly because they didn’t really fit at all. Then, curiosity piqued, he tried the matching bra (awkward, confusing, but oddly...empowering?) He paused to check himself in her tall mirror, making a face at the absurdity, before rifling through for something warmer. He pulled a thick pair of black leggings over his legs, wiggling to get them over his knees, then shimmied into a soft gray sweater dress. With a laugh, he finished the ensemble with her fluffy sheepskin boots, then collapsed onto her bed. It was warm, it was surreal, and it somehow made the lonely hallways less intimidating. Jonah sat back and grinned at his new reflection in Felicia’s mirror. For the next two weeks, at least until maintenance returned, this was his Christmas uniform. He would feed her fish, raid her snack stash, and—if he felt bold enough—make cocoa in the communal kitchen dressed as his unintentional alter ego. As he settled in, still laughing, Jonah knew this was one holiday story he’d never tell his parents. But it would be one he’d never forget.

### A Holiday to Remember Ethan had always enjoyed the hustle and bustle of campus life, but as the end of term loomed closer and students dispersed for the holidays, the dorms grew eerily quiet. Unlike most others, he had chosen to stay back. His family was on an overseas holiday, and he opted out of the long and expensive flight to a distant tropical island, preferring instead to have some quiet time to focus on his projects. He was staying in a co-ed dormitory, but by now, every last student had left, and the silence was almost oppressive. He had promised to take care of his friend Jessica’s fish, an easy enough favor considering she left him with her room key and precise instructions. One chilly December morning, Ethan decided to make the most of the rare luxury of having the entire dorm wing to himself. He grabbed his keys and dawned his towel to enjoy a prolonged, hot shower without the usual disruptions. It was an indulgence he did not get often, given the usual morning rush that left the hot water running out in minutes. Steam billowed around him as he lost track of time under the soothing torrent. Refreshed and relaxed, Ethan dried off, wrapped his towel snugly around his waist, and headed back to his room. That's when he felt his heart sink. He reached for his key only to find Jessica’s key in his hand. His own room's thick steel door stood stubbornly locked, a testament to his force of habit. Freezing air nipped at his skin, and he quickly understood that campus security wouldn't be able to help until after the holiday break. Reluctantly, he shuffled over to Jessica’s room, the towel barely sufficient in the unforgiving cold. Once inside her room, Ethan leaned against the door and exhaled deeply, calming his rattled nerves. As his eyes roved around Jessica’s neat and girly room, he realized he would need to borrow some of her clothes if he didn't want to spend the next two weeks freezing and half-naked. He opened her wardrobe, seeking something that might offer warmth and comfort. The obvious starting point was a pair of Jessica's panties. They were small and snug, a sensation that was both uniquely uncomfortable and oddly amusing. Emboldened by his predicament, Ethan decided to take it a step further, strapping on a matching bra. It felt strange but also delightfully absurd, forcing laughter to bubble from his chest. Next, he pulled on a pair of thick, woolen leggings followed by a cozy sweater dress that enveloped him in warmth. He completed the outfit with her soft, sheepskin boots, looking at himself in the full-length mirror. The transformation was startling, surreal, and kind of fun. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Ethan chuckled. He couldn't believe he was staring at a reflection that showcased him as Jessica. Two weeks dressed as a girl, specifically his friend, lay before him. Over the following days, Ethan settled into an unusual routine. He fed Jessica’s fish, attended to his studies, and even mastered putting on makeup by watching tutorials. Each time he dressed up, he grew more comfortable and found the experience to be oddly liberating. Ethan learned to embrace the playful spontaneity of his situation, even starting to enjoy the tactile difference the clothes provided. As the days passed, Ethan documented his transformation with photos and watched as his initial amusement gave way to a deeper understanding and appreciation for Jessica's style and identity. He realized how much effort she must put into her daily attire, a lesson in empathy he hadn't anticipated learning. Finally, when the holidays ended and students began returning to the dorms, Ethan reverted to his own clothes, albeit with a sneaky sense of loss. Jessica, who arrived later that evening, was bewildered at first but then immensely amused as Ethan narrated his accidental adventure. They laughed, and she appreciated the levity he brought into what could have been an annoying mishap. Ethan would never forget that strange, transformative winter break. It taught him that life had a way of throwing curve balls and that sometimes, rolling with the punches and embracing the absurdity of our circumstances is the best way to cope. In two short weeks, he had found a new dimension of friendship with Jessica, unlocked parts of himself he never knew existed, and experienced a holiday to remember.