CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX – A NEW SEMESTER

The first day of the new semester dawned bright and crisp, as if the world itself was reinvigorated by the cycling of seasons. Jasmine took a deep, cleansing breath as she crested the broad stone steps leading up to the arts building, her canvas tote slung over one shoulder. A new beginning. A chance to put the past behind her and refocus on her true passion - nurturing and inspiring the next generation of artists. The thought brought a smile to her face as she mounted the stairs. This semester, she would be teaching a specialty course quite different from her usual lectures and seminars. A project-based collaborative workshop centered around creating immersive, socially-conscious art installations. The syllabus had been a labor of love to craft, drawing inspiration from her own early days as an iconoclastic young artist eager to spur societal change. To take the raw, intimate expressions of emotion and elevate them into grander statements that couldn't be ignored. She was buzzing