A match made in Hunton House
2010-04-22 17:10:35
By Melissa Lombard — Marketing and Communications
Third-year students Kayla Mayberry and Nikki Clowater have been roommates since their first year on campus. The pair were matched up to live in Hunton House and have lived together ever since — two years in Hunton and one off campus.
Mayberry from Quispamsis, NB and Clowater from Centreville, NB were both attracted to the beauty of Mount Allison’s historic campus and the small town appeal of Sackville.
The girls believe Housing Services did a great job of matching them.
“I guess that’s obvious since we’ve stayed together as roommates for three years, but we are very similar to each other and I don’t remember ever having any issues,” says Mayberry.
Isobel Snowdon, the Housing Services Assistant responsible for matching Mayberry and Clowater, says hearing stories like this one is her favourite part of the job.
“It reinforces to me that I am doing my job well,” she says.
This year Snowdon’s success rate was 99 per cent. An amazing feat considering she matched 330 sets of roommates.
“She truly cares about ensuring new students have the best start to university life at Mount Allison,” says Director of Administrative Services Michelle Strain.
Mayberry and Clowater say they chatted a few times through Facebook before coming to campus, but really didn’t know that much about each other before they met.
“I remember the first night we were both pretty quiet. Every night we just started talking more and eventually the conversation got better and we were more comfortable with each other,” says Mayberry.
Clowater says the best part about having a roommate is that you are never lonely. That’s why both she and Mayberry recommend having a roommate.
“You can create that bond with someone over sharing those first experiences together,” says Mayberry. “If you want to, then you can branch off and do your own thing, but at least you’ll have someone to share those first experiences with.”
Clowater and her high school best friend both chose Mount Allison, but applied to live in separate rooms in the same house, feeling their friendship would be better for it. Now all three are best friends.
The girls now have their own apartment, which they will return to next year. And although apartment living is very different than residence, they still follow one main principle for living together — communication.
“Being roommates, especially in residence, you need to talk it out and don’t let the little things get to you,” says Mayberry.
PHOTO CAPTION: Nikki Clowater, left, and roommate Kayla Mayberry in front of Hunton House.