This piece features my good friend, Abbey Ritchie. We met freshman year during Preview GU and have been friends ever since. I sat down with Abbey for a Q & A to share her Gannon experience.

Q: Where are you from, and how far away is it from campus?

A: I am from Fairview, Pennsylvania, and it is like a 20-minute drive from campus but 15 if you speed. I commute to Gannon everyday.

Q: What is it like to be a commuter?

A: Being a commuter is okay; I feel like even though there are a lot of activities available on campus for commuters to participate in, I don’t really get involved with them, so sometimes, I feel left out. I do not enjoy commuting in the snow, but being a commuter has its perks because I get to go home and eat homemade food, sleep in my own bed, and hang out with my dogs. Plus, I have made close friends and even best friends with commuters because we share the common struggle. I still think it’s weird that I have made such good friends with students from local high schools that I never would have met before coming to Gannon.

Q: What year are you, and what is your major?

A: I am a sophomore Communication Arts and Electronic Media major. However, as a freshman, I came in as an Undeclared major and stayed in the program until the start of sophomore year. I wanted to come to Gannon because I knew it was a good school, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study, so the Undeclared Program was the perfect starting point in my college career. I learned about what suits me and what interests and abilities I have and how I can apply them as a career in life. I also learned about keeping balance in my life and finding a central goal. Through this program, I was able to find myself.

Q: What activities are you involved with on campus?

A: My main activity is WERG, the Gannon radio station. Molly, Lauren, and I have a show on Thursdays from 4:00pm until 6:00pm, and we call ourselves the “Three Musketeers” exactly like the candy bar. We play a different game each week during the show, and you should give us a listen if you have the chance. I am also currently dipping my toes into theatre. I hope to become more involved on campus for the rest my college career here at Gannon.

Q: Why did you decide to go to Gannon?

A: Basically, I came to Gannon because it is close to home, has great academic programs, a central location downtown, and small class sizes. I wanted to go to a college where I could know my professors.

Q: Where do you spend most of your time on campus?

A: You can usually find me in the comfy chairs on the second floor of the Center for Communication and the Arts building watching YouTube videos and maybe doing homework.

Q: What is your best memory made at Gannon so far?

A: This is a hard question because there are so many good ones. One of my best memories was when I was in the audio lab working on projects because it’s just a good place to chill out and focus and create stuff that you enjoy. Doing this is how I actually chose my major. Working in there is how I knew what I wanted to achieve in life. Working with the equipment and the people in there is how it all came together. I am so grateful for that experience.