There's no doubt about it. Elms College is a special place to many who reside in the Pioneer Valley. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph (SSJ's) in 1928, the college has educated countless women; and more recently, men, using the four pillars Elms College alumni know so well: faith, community, justice, and excellence. While the four pillars are a more formal representation of Elms College, there are just some things one would only know if he or she were a Blazer.
1. Blazers give back.
Service to the community is arguably the most important part of any Elms student's four years. Think about it. The college was founded by a religious order. Elms College has a reputation for graduating the most service minded people in the area, making them highly respected and sought after post-graduation.
2. Jane from the Dining Hall genuinely cares for your well being.
Jane is there for you. Jane doesn't care if you're up for clinical at 4:30 a.m. looking like a hot mess or if you're heading back to the Dining Hall for your 3rd breakfast of the morning. Jane understands. She takes care of students and always greets you with a smile. And she supports the athletes! We need more Jane's in this world.
3. You can get anywhere on campus in 3 minutes or less.
Parked your car in B Lot and have class on the 3rd floor of Berchmans? No sweat. Rolled out of bed at 7:55 for your 8:00 a.m. lab? No problem. Small schools have their perks! So snooze one more time, you'll still make it.
4. The Rumble Seat.
Elms Night. 100 Nights. 50 Nights. No further words need to be spoken about this establishment.
5. Coach Condon and Sr. Carol know everyone.
It literally does not matter if you had either of these women as professors in class or played a sport at Elms College. Coach Condon and Sr. Carol make an effort to know all members of the Elms community and to make everyone feel accepted. You'd be hard pressed to find a graduate of the last 30 years who didn't know of one of these women.
6. Your car has been swallowed by a pothole in D Lot.
Oh, the struggles of parking in D Lot. As if finding a spot wasn't difficult enough, the potholes back there could swallow you and the state of Texas all in one fail swoop. If you consider yourself a tactical driver, however, you've managed to avoid a flat tire or a damaged rim, so congrats!
7. The Starbucks Cafe has saved you at least once during finals week.
Okay, so most schools have had their own coffee shop on campus for years now, but the addition of the Starbucks Cafe has worked wonders for the students of Elms College. Whoever came up with the idea to include Cafe points on your Student ID was a GENIUS! Save up those points for the end of the semester people. We've all had 2 or 3 or 9 coffees a day during finals at one point or another.
8. The rattling windows in O'Leary have kept you up at night...
Yes, O'Leary Hall has it's charm, as it is one of the oldest buildings on campus. With age, however, come a few "problems". Those old wooden windows rattle with the slightest change in wind patter. Thunderstorm? Forget about getting your 8 hours, my friends.
9. ... Or the heat in O'Leary has kept you up at night.
Are we living on the surface of the sun? Nope, just O'Leary Hall. Students have left their windows open in the dead of winter to escape the heat in their rooms. On the positive side, you were never too cold, were you?
10. Elms College will always be your home, even after you graduate.
It was hard for all of us to leave Elms College. The close-knit community made us all feel at home during our time here, but it's important to keep in mind that we may leave the community, but the community never leaves us. Elms College always welcomes its alumni back with open arms because our alumni are community leaders, mentors, and all-around good people. So as Jason Mraz once said, "hold your own, know your name, and go your own way", but always remember the way back to Elms College.
