From Roomies to Besties: Katie Crouch and Eliza Moore
While there are many defining moments throughout a college experience, perhaps one of the most memorable is who you room with during your first year. Here at ChathamU, we’re dedicated to helping each student find a roommate who enhances their time spent on campus. Such is the case for Eliza Moore, Marketing ‘23 and Katie Crouch, Visual Arts ‘23, who are in their fourth semester as roommates. Read on for the story of how they went from strangers living together to the best friends they are today!
Back: Eliza Moore ‘23 (she/her)
Front: Katie Crouch ‘23 (she/her)
How did the two of you meet?
Eliza Moore: There was a Facebook page for all incoming first-year students and Katie posted about herself with pictures of marching band and musicals. We were actually in the same musical at school so I found her Instagram and messaged her.
Katie Crouch: We dm’ed for about a week and then stopped talking. A month later I messaged her again asking her to be my roommate. She actually came up as someone who was compatible with me on the housing form and since I already knew and liked her, I decided to go for it!
When did you know you were going to be best friends?
KC: On the first night of orientation, Eliza asked me if I wanted to walk to the nearby Rita’s and at that moment, I knew!
EM: I knew when she wanted to go to Rita’s!
Favorite thing to do together?
EM: Our group Target trips! We also have many karaoke nights where we sing Disney songs; we both love watching Disney.
KC: I would throw in Avalon Exchange trips too. Basically, all things shopping.
Katie & Eliza during move-in as First-Year students
What 3 words would you use to describe one another?
EM: Katie is creative, kind, and hilarious!
KC: I would have to go with talented, loving, and just spectacular!
What’s the best part of living with your best friend?
KC: It’s like a sleepover every day!
EM: It’s nice to know that we don’t have to be talking the whole day. You’re really able to understand how they tick. It’s nice to have that, especially when you’re in one room together all of the time.
Have virtual courses affected your roommate dynamic at all?
KC: Luckily, our classes don’t overlap too much. One time she was in choir and my class moved virtual, so I was learning while she was singing across the room but it was just funny, not bothersome.
EM: I never feel like we’re bothering each other. Honestly, it was really easy to adjust from being roommates who left for classes all day last year, to taking our classes side-by-side this year.
Katie and Eliza at the Fall 2019 Harvest Dinner
Favorite memory together?
EM: Our friend group, thanks to Katie, is obsessed with Texas Roadhouse. Our trips on the bus to those dinners are some of my favorite memories.
KC: The first time we went, we all turned our phones off and put them in the center of the table. For a moment, it was just friends having fun without distractions in a Texas Roadhouse.
Best part of your Chatham experience thus far?
KC: I think making friends so quickly and smoothly has been my favorite experience. If I didn’t have the friends that I do, I wouldn’t be having as good of a time. Chatham’s small community made it very easy to make friends. Both of us came from really small high schools, so it was an easy transition for us.
EM: What I appreciate the most is that we have this close-knit group of friends that I can attribute to Chatham. I plan on having them in my life for as long as physically possible.
Any advice for incoming first-year students looking for a roommate?
KC: Being similar but not too similar is really important. Have at least one common interest that you can bond over.
EM: I would say the same thing. It’s important that there is something that you know you can at least talk about. Especially if it’s something that’s super important to you that could potentially be annoying to someone else. I break out in song all of the time, I don’t think anyone other than Katie could tolerate me, and I’m so grateful for her!
To learn more about the full Chatham residential experience, click here.