Washington Central

Washington Central is the university Tessa attends while completing her freshman year, and its academic procedures make her internship more than a job she can simply abandon. The credits attached to her work at Vance Publishing connect her employment, course schedule, and financial obligations to the university.

Tessa's Studies

Tessa identifies herself as finishing her freshman year at Washington Central after recently moving to Seattle. The university is thus part of her transition into a new city, though the account does not specify where its campus is or how her move affects her enrollment.

Internship Credits and Administrative Requirements

When Hardin presses her to quit her internship because of a family crisis, Tessa explains that leaving would require her to notify the university, complete paperwork, and provide a substantial explanation. She would also need to add classes midway through the semester to replace the credits she was earning through Vance Publishing. Because the financial-aid deadline had passed, those replacement courses would have to be paid for out of pocket.

Consequences in the Story

The university's requirements give Tessa concrete reasons to ask for time rather than immediately leave her internship. Her concern is not only administrative: quitting could disrupt her credits and create an unexpected expense. In the tense exchange, she is also facing the prospect of moving into a hotel, losing her job, and having no friends nearby, so the academic and financial consequences deepen an already precarious situation.