Every coming-of-age movie I’ve watched in the past year copied and pasted the exact same opening scene: move-in day. Teary-eyed parents fade into the distance, waving goodbye to their little girl, as a Taylor Swift ballad cues the credits. The protagonist (with her unrealistically small number of suitcases) is greeted by the unbearable roommate, before later befriending the heartthrob boy-next-door. These movies, while entertaining, leave out the true meaning of move-in day. It is not just the start of a new year or the start of new friendships. In Newark, it is the start of house hunting season.
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