Stay True: A Memoir

Chapter 4 spans the end of Hua’s freshman year at Berkeley and the whole of his sophomore year. Hua and his friends celebrated the end of the term by watching the sunset from the roof of their dorm, memorializing the event with photos. Hua then moved into an off-campus bungalow with a new roommate, while Ken went home to Southern California for the summer. Despite the distance, the pair’s friendship remained strong. Ken wrote Hua a letter, which he signed “stay true,” an inside joke whose origins Hua does not recall. Ken also returned to Berkeley to attend Hua’s housewarming party, bringing a set of glasses as a gift. During his free time, Hua created zines with a neighbor who shared his taste in music.

Hua declared a major at the start of his sophomore year, choosing a discipline that didn’t require class participation for good grades (political science). Ken’s academic interests also shifted that year, from architecture to law. Despite their divergent interests, Hua and Ken took several courses together, notably, in rhetoric and philosophy. Their friendship deepened over long study sessions and visits to menswear shops and bookstores.