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My home away from home

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Tatum Pederson
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Elon chapter.

By: Maritza Gonzalez

As I sort through the large quantity of clothes and pack them into storage boxes, I curse myself on overpacking and reminisce about my first-year at Elon.

My first-year at Elon University is sadly coming to an end and I cannot help but reflect on the various memories I have collected throughout the year. As I look at the scattered storage boxes and the cringe-worthy mess, one thought pops into my mind: I love Elon.

 

I love Elon and, even though it will be 3 short months till I walk back onto the lavish, vibrant campus, I will miss it. The reasons for loving Elon are enormous and will probably end up to be a novel if I were to write about it, but I can write the reasons why I do not love Elon.

I do not love Elon because it is extremely gorgeous and feels like I am in a fairy-tale.

I do not love Elon because walking through campus feels majestic.

I do not love Elon because of the intimate, small class sizes makes it easier to advance and have a connection with my professors.

I do not love Elon because my classes are literally a 5 minute walk from my dorm, although it is a plus.

I do not love Elon because of its prestige and its numerous notable programs.

I love Elon because it is home.

It is rare to love a university during a student’s first-year, but I can honestly say that I fell in love with Elon. I fell in love with everything about it; the good and bad.

I love the way I’m always busy and tired. Yes, you read that right; I love that I am always busy and tired. Because I am always busy and tired, it means that I am striving to complete something worthy; something that can ultimately change my life and make my deserving parents beyond proud. While I stay up well beyond a reasonable time and stress about a 8 page paper due the next day, I am striving for the goal I have set up for myself. Because I am always tired, I know that I am being tested, that I am being pushed to learn and to be the person I want to be.

I love Elon because I am accepted and I feel like myself. During my first-year, I have made loving friends that have managed to make me laugh and smile through the stress and the bad-days. They laugh at my ridiculous, bad jokes and comfort me when I feel homesick. The faculty and staff here are always at my disposal; they are welcoming, understanding, and always there to help you with anything.

Overall, Elon is my home and my first-year was nothing short of amazing. Although I have 3 more years to endure of hard-work and stress, I know that those 3 years of stress will be worth it as long as I am at home here at Elon.

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My name is Tatum Pederson and I am a senior at Elon University majoring in Journalism and minoring in Digital Art. I am currently Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus Elon and I am an Entertainment Editor for Elon University’s magazine, The Edge. This summer, I was an Entertainment Intern at Niche Media in New York City. I learned how to transcribe interviews, assist at photo shoots, and conduct research on various entertainment topics. Last year, I was an Art and Editorial Intern at ELLE Decor magazine. At this internship, I worked closely with the Editor-in-Chief, Michael Boodro. I edited a “Behind The Scenes” video for the September 2014 Online Shopping section and was also published in the October 2014 issue. Two summers ago, I was an Entertainment Intern for Pink and Black magazine. I researched and wrote numerous articles involving media and entertainment. I am an extremely organized and creative student with experience in both a fast-paced environment and the magazine industry.