The beginning of a beautiful friendship

Thanks to Manda for the idea. I too went digging around my email inbox to see what I could find. I came across the beginning of an amazing friendship. Most of you probably know Amy and I were roomies in graduate school. You may not know how that happened. I sent an email to the woman who controlled the library student listserv at UW to send out to current and new students. And Amy responded. Here's what that looked like:

My name is Becky Canovan, and I will be a new SLIS student in the fall. I'm looking for a roommate. I'm a non-smoker and 22. I'm looking at both on-campus and off-campus housing. If you're interesed in a roommate for next year, please contact me at XXXX.

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Hi Becky,
I too will be a new MLIS student in the fall. I've been trying to find a place or someone to live with for a few weeks. If you're still looking for someone to live with, I would be interested in talking with you. I'll be 22 in June, non-smoking, and would prefer not to live with dogs or cats because I'm allergic, but other than that, I'm flexible and easy-going. Please contact me if you're interested.
Amy Commers

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Hi Amy,

I'm also allergic to cats and dogs so that shouldn't be a problem. I would love to room with a new student. Where have you been looking so far? I've gotten an e-mail from a girl who is an officer at Zoe Bayliss which is a women's coop, and I've looked online at Eagle Heights and Harvey St. Apartments, both are grad school campus owned housing. I'm really open to anything, I have a car, but would prefer to utilize a busline if possible. Also, are you interested in furnished or unfurnished apartments.

I thought I should share a little more about myself. I'm originally from Janesville, Wis. about 35 miles south of Madison. I'm a senior at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. I noticed from your e-mail address that you are also a student in Iowa. I'm majoring in History, Politics, and English and lived in the dorms for four years.

I'm currently on spring break, so I'm available by phone most of the day. I'll be around on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday and the weekend I'll be driving to visit a friend and may not have my phone on the entire time. My phone number is XXXX. If you're on facebook, I am too. I'm also pretty easy to get a hold of by e-mail, as I check it fairly often. 

Becky  

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Hi Becky,

Its so nice to finally have some positive direction! I've been looking at roommate sites for two weeks trying to find someone to live with in an affordable place. I've mostly been considering off-campus housing, but I'd be open to something on-campus too. Basically I'm looking for some place safe, and not overly expensive. I found a few apartment buildings on Rent.com, Westhaven Village Apartments, Avalon Madison Village, and 641 W. Main Street Apartment Homes seemed the most promising from that search. I also would like to use the buses as much as possible too. I'm interested in either furnished or unfurnished apartments.

You are right, I do go to school in Iowa too, Northwestern College in Orange City. I'm ready to leave the Dutch behind! :) I've kind of lived all over on campus. In the dorms for 2 1/2 years, in an apartment with 4 other girls for a semester, and in some apartments we call the plexes, which are quite cozy with 3 other girls. I'm originally from Maple Grove, MN, which is a NW suburb of Minneapolis. I'm majoring in English and can't believe the school year is almost over.

I'm on Facebook too, and can be reached on my cell XXXX, or by email. I've never looked for an apartment before, so I'm not sure what the next step should be. I feel so ignorant about this whole process, but two heads are better than one, right? I look forward to talking with you again soon.

Enjoy your spring break! (I miss mine, that's for sure!!)

Amy

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Who would have believed from that awkwardly formal, but not too formal email exchange we'd end up best friends and two peas in a pod?? Oh and you want to know why we both (individually) decided the other seemed like someone they could live with? Seeing Gilmore Girls listed as a fave tv show on our Facebook profiles. :)