I bet you can remember your first night at Elon University. Lying on your college-issue twin mattress, staring at the ceiling and trying to get a handle on the thoughts rushing through your head: the dorm that you now call "home," the academic and social challenges starting at 8:30 Monday morning, the friends you worried about making, and the friends you worry you’ve left behind. It’s bittersweet, but it’s also the next great adventure in your life — this is the moment you’ve been waiting for and now, finally, you’re here.
Oh ... and so was this other person.
Living with a roommate was a huge adjustment. As if you didn't have enough going on, now you’re sharing a 20' x 10' space with a stranger. Everyone comes away from this experience with a different story. Some students connect with a roommate right from the start and within weeks form a lifelong friendship. Other students, not so lucky, find themselves counting the days until they can move off-campus. Some may watch curiously as their roommates reach for their cell phones on the desk beneath their lofted beds and tumble to the floor, comforter and all (that’s a true story … sorry, Garrett).
It was an interesting time to say the least. But now you’re ready for your next great adventure, life after college. And I’m here to give you a practical strategy for navigating those uncharted waters: living with someone from Elon.
Now before you start moaning about “expanding your horizons”, and “branching out”, ask yourself: isn’t that what you came to Elon to do? One of the great benefits of going to Elon is that, for four years, you’ve had the chance to interact academically and socially with intelligent people that the university has already gone through the trouble of filtering for you. If you’re living with an Elon graduate, you’re living with someone who not only has shared many of your experiences, but has hopefully been shaped by those experiences into someone who is considerate and respectful, which is really all you can ask for in a roommate.
This, of course, isn’t always the case. But there are risks and rewards in any living situation. Want to live with a friend from high school? Sounds safe, but you may be surprised at how much you have changed over the years. Want to live with a co-worker? Convenient, but you will end up talking a lot of shop at home, and it can be difficult to branch outside of your “work friends.” Live with your parents? No. Trust me.
After college, I lived with an Elon grad for two years. I can honestly say that they were two of the most enjoyable years of my life, and we’re still friends today. So if you’re looking for a roommate, try taking a look around you. You might be surprised by how good your options are.
Short Bios:
Since graduating from Elon, David Wells ’08 has been living in Charlotte, N.C. He is currently working for Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP.
Since graduating from Elon, John Fitzgibbons ’08 has been living in Charlotte, N.C. He is currently working for Myers Park High School.