Despite the university’s best efforts to have an attractive, burgeoning residential education program, sources at her apartment complex report that senior Sheila Anderson thinks living off campus is really giving her the full Vanderbilt experience she’s always wanted. “It’s great to get away from the place I love so much,” Anderson noted. “I love Vanderbilt and I’ll be a Commodore until I die. But I wanted to put some miles between me and everything associated with the university,” she went on to add.
Anderson, who admits she has to kill time between classes and before meetings practically every day because it isn’t worth the gas money to drive home, says she can’t imagine feeling more like she’s getting the most out of the institution. “The twenty minute commute every morning is a real breath of fresh air. And the stress of paying bills is eye-opening. I finally feel all grown up!” indicated Anderson as she microwaved Ramen for the sixth time this week rather than living conveniently close to a campus dining hall.
Though she hasn’t really enjoyed any parties this year because she has to stay sober so she can drive home, Anderson says her social circle has never been stronger. Roommate Stacey O’Shannon commented, “Our apartment is small so we can’t throw parties. But we still drink and have a good time with each other. And sometimes we’ll invite over some of our other friends who live off campus because we know they won’t be busy.”
Many of Anderson’s acquaintances and friends from the past three years reportedly now have trouble remembering who she is exactly. “Oh yeah, that’s that one girl. I think I met her once,” commented Anderson’s sophomore-year roommate Kelley Pierce. At press time, Anderson indicated she was looking forward to finding time to grocery shop this week and contact her landlord about fixing the unreliable wi-fi that she pays for out-of-pocket.
