Chapter 126 Through the northbridge gates
Chapter 126: Through the Northbridge Gates
Varney and Golden jetted out to London. Golden had made an appointment with the student counselor and they decided to meet up at a riverside cafe close to the school.
It was a sunny afternoon and Golden was dressed in khaki shorts and a flowery blouse. She was wearing flat sandals for convenience since she didn't know what the terrain was like.
Northbridge is a mid-size historical city, in Northern England, about an hour away from London by train.
Varney had made a reservation at a hotel about 45 minutes away from the school.
He dropped Golden off at the cafe and told her to give him a call when she was done.
On entering the cafe, Golden spotted the person she was supposed to meet. She saw a brunette with curly hair and glasses seating by the window.
The lady seeing Golden immediately waved her over.
Golden smiled and walked towards her table. The lady reminded her so much of Fab with her curls and glasses.
“Hi, I'm Zaya, you must be Golden.” The lady said stretching out her hands.
“Hi Zaya it's so nice to meet you. Thanks for agreeing to take me around.” Golden said with a smile as she shook her hands and sat down.
Zaya quickly finished her coffee, told Golden about their itinerary and then they left the cafe.
“So is this your first time in England?” Zaya asked as they strolled down the road.
“Not really. I've been to London a couple of times. My brother is on a business trip this time around so I used the opportunity to come check the school out.”
“That's nice. You will like Northbridge don't worry. The school is just a block away so we should be there in no time.
So I hear you are an honors student and had the highest GPA in your class. I even heard you were Valedictorian. Congratulations.”
Golden raised an eyebrow surprised that Zaya was well informed. “Thank you. You are pretty well informed.”
“Well Prof. Dawin the Students Advisor gave me a pretty detailed information. And if you ask me, he wants me to make sure I bring you on board.
Northbridge always wants the best students and you seem to fit well into the category, if you know what I mean.” Zaya said with a smile.
Golden smiled back at her. So tell me, what do I have to expect? Coming from Florida, I doubt if our system is the same.
I just finished from college of science where I did my pre-clinicals. Normally if I were to continue in Florida, I would have moved to the teaching hospital where I would study medicine proper.” Golden said.
“Well it's a bit different here in England. We study medicine and sugery right from our first year in the university.
Our third year, we write our first MBBS exams and we move straight to the teaching hospital where we get the full hands-on training.
So basically here in Northbridge, med school is more practicals, clinicals and ward rounds. You get to see and practice everything.
We still have our normal classes and still write exams, the stakes are higher and the stress is more.
I am about entering my final year. Currently, I'm in my 5th year and would be entering my final year when school resumes.”
They had gotten to the school. Golden noticed the Old Victorian structure of the school.
She noticed a massive stone archway with the university crest carved above it. With an inscription that read:
“Scientia. Humanitas. Cura.”
(Knowledge. Humanity. Care.)
Beyond the gate, the campus opened into a large courtyard called Founder’s Square.
The environment was serene and she saw a few students going about. It was a Saturday and so there weren't many people around the campus grounds.
A few students sat on the stone steps with coffee, discussing anatomy notes. There were a few bicycles littered here and there, white coats hanging from backpacks.
Golden quietly observed. No one looked at her twice. No whispers about her weight. Just students living their lives.
Golden felt a sense of peace as she walked the campus grounds.
Zaya took Golden around. The first stop was Hawthorne Hall which was the heart of the medical school.
It’s a stunning mix of Victorian architecture and modern glass extensions.
The old stone structure gives the building prestige, while the glass wings show the school’s cutting-edge research culture.
It had tall ceilings and marble floors, with portraits of former medical pioneers.
Although it was Saturday, students walked quickly with laptops and coffee cups.
Golden quickly sensed that this place was serious. Not hostile. Just… focused.
Next, Zaya took her to the Anatomy Centre, one of the most famous buildings on campus.
The Eleanor Whitmore Anatomy Institute was where first-year students began the foundation of medicine.
It had advanced 3D anatomy labs,
traditional cadaver dissection rooms,
virtual reality anatomy suites, and quiet study pods overlooking the campus gardens.
The building smelt faintly of antiseptic and coffee.
Students whisper respectfully in the hallways.
Although not as busy as it would be on a weekday, Golden noticed that everyone looked slightly overwhelmed. And that oddly made her feel normal.
Zaya took her to the Clinical Skills Centre. At Northbridge, before students even entered hospital rotations, they trained here.
Rooms are set up like mini hospital wards where students practice:
diagnosing simulated patients, emergency procedures, surgical skills.
It had mannequins that can simulate heart attacks, seizures, and trauma cases.
Golden watched a group of second-year students practicing CPR with intense focus.
A professor calmly instructed them:
“Medicine rewards preparation, not panic.”
Golden felt something shift inside her. This was all too real.
Outside the clinical centre was a beautiful garden area called The Physician’s Garden.
It had benches under oak trees, with a fountain shaped like a DNA helix. It also had small café stands and Golden figures this was where med students decompress.
It gave her a sense of home and was somewhat similar to the pavilion back at OCU.
Golden saw a group laughing loudly.
Another student was asleep on a bench with flashcards on his chest. Someone was playing guitar.
For the first time since she arrived in England…
Golden felt like this could be home.