Ananda

On Tuesday, I left my house at 5 PM and made my way to Liberty’s, London. I was simultaneously nervous and excited, probably my most common mix of emotions. I got off the train relying on Google maps to tell me where I was headed. Once I arrived, I walked around the store and saw seven girls huddled together outside. I approached them and was met with hugs and smiles: It was the wonderful London Rookie girls, Naomi Morris, Caitlin Hazell, Rachel Hodgson, Eleanor Hardwick, Maria Ines Gul, and Ione Gamble! This was my first time meeting them, and everyone was so lovely. After five minutes, we saw a familiar figure walking toward us. It was TAVI GEVINSON! She hugged us all and introduced us to her dad.

Together, we wandered around London. We bumped into some Rookie readers who recognized Tavi, who introduced us. Once we’d said goodbye to Tavi’s father, we made our way to a pub for drinks and chips, and then to a pizza restaurant where we shared four pizzas. Once we were done, we wandered over to Big Ben for photos, and then on to Trafalgar Square where Caitlin and Naomi climbed the lions.

We all walked to another restaurant, and that’s where Caitlin, Naomi, and I headed off to catch the train. At the station, Caitlin had already crossed the ticket barriers when she realized I was going in a different direction than her and Naomi. So she crawled back under the barrier, making me laugh hysterically, along with the underground staff who, lucky for us, were in a good mood! I hugged the girls goodbye and made my way home.

Although, quite honestly, I felt anxious about meeting new people, and being the youngest of the group, it was a lovely evening. I feel so glad to have met some of the wonders of Rookie. ♦