Going into their first year at Bluffton, seniors Emma Cobb and Rowena Zuercher were randomly assigned to be roommates. Almost four years later, the two are still living in their original room in Bren-Dell Hall.
Rowena Zuercher and Emma Cobb their freshman year. The two have lived in the same room in Bren-Dell Hall all four years at Bluffton. Photo provided by Emma Cobb
“I didn’t get the email about who my roommate was until mid-July,” Cobb said. “She was the only Rowena Zuercher on Facebook, so it was really easy to find her and start talking with her a little bit before we got here.”
The two both grew up in small, Mennonite communities, which Zuercher said helped contribute to them having similar morals and values.
Emma Cobb and Rowena Zuercher as sophomores. Photo provided by Emma Cobb
“I remember freshman year we would try to think of things we didn’t have in common because we had so much in common that it was almost creepy,” Zuercher said.
While the two share many similarities, one big difference is their choice in majors. Zuercher is a double major in Spanish and social work, while Cobb is a double major in music and nutrition and dietetics. In their time at Bluffton, the two have only been in the same class once and were in band together for one semester.
“I actually love that we have such different majors,” Zuercher said. “I’ve learned so much about nutrition from her, and she likes hearing about my social work and psychology classes. It lets us feel like we have our own lives on campus while still feeling really connected to each other’s interests.”
Rowena Zuercher and Emma Cobb their junior year. Photo provided by Emma Cobb
When asked separately about their favorite memories as roommates, both brought up the same experiences.
“At the end of my sophomore year, I had to do a junior standing, where the faculty determines whether or not you can continue to be a music major,” Cobb said. “I just finished that and I was super stressed about it, so we walked to the Community Market, got a quart of gelato and then ate the entire quart on the peace stones.”
“We drove up to Goodwill in Findlay and we found three 100% cashmere sweaters and we just spent a couple of hours browsing through stuff together and trying on outfits and showing each other,” Zuercher said. “That was just so simple and so fun.”
Cobb said it would be weird not rooming with Zuercher next year, but the two are already considering getting an apartment together next year.
“I’m going to either Illinois, Indiana or Ohio University depending on where my internship is placed, so we’ve talked about getting that together,” Cobb said.
While the two began as strangers at Bluffton, they now see each other as integral parts of each other’s experience.
“I can’t picture my experience here without her,” Zuercher said. “Our room just feels like home. No matter what else is happening around campus or in classes, or how stressed I am about other things, I know in our room I’m not going to have drama with her and I’m not going to have to worry about if we’re okay.”
