For our third college tour stop, we headed to a place that already holds a very special place in our family’s heart: Auburn University.
Rather than making it a quick day trip, we decided to turn it into a little overnight getaway. And honestly, I was thrilled because I never need much of an excuse to visit Auburn. It remains one of my very favorite college towns, and every visit reminds me why John fell in love with it so quickly.
We arrived Thursday afternoon and checked into my favorite hotel in town, The Laurel Hotel & Spa. After settling in, we enjoyed a little drink and snack in the library before heading over to John’s apartment.
And whew. Talk about a contrast. Going directly from the beautiful, polished Laurel to a college-boy apartment a year deep in life is certainly an experience. Fortunately, I came prepared with food, clean clothes and a few supplies, so our visit was efficient.
From there, we headed to supper at our longtime Auburn favorite, Acre. If you’ve followed along for any length of time, you know how much we love Acre. It never disappoints and has become one of our must-do stops whenever we’re in town.
After dinner, we dropped John off for a fraternity date party while the three of us headed back to the hotel to enjoy a relaxing evening at the rooftop pool.
Friday was devoted entirely to touring. After breakfast, we joined the general campus tour, which was every bit as charming, welcoming and cheerful as it was when we toured three years ago with John. Auburn simply does an exceptional job introducing prospective students to the university, and it was fun seeing it all again through Whit’s eyes.
The afternoon was spent touring the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, and I have to say, this portion of the visit was particularly impressive. Unlike some engineering tours that move large groups through the facilities, Auburn paired us one-on-one with a current engineering student. For the entire tour, it was simply our family and our student guide.
He was kind, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and incredibly generous with his time and answers. We were able to ask detailed questions about academics, internships, student life and opportunities within the engineering program. It felt much more personal than a traditional tour and gave Whit a much better sense of what life as an engineering student might actually look like.
So the big question everyone keeps asking…What did Whit think?
Well, that’s the million-dollar question.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that Whit tends to blaze his own trail. When the rest of us zig, he often zags. He has always been remarkably independent in his thinking, and I suspect his college decision will be no different.
What I can say is that Auburn checks a lot of boxes. It’s close to home. The campus is beautiful. The engineering program is strong. The student culture is welcoming. And thanks to John, we already know firsthand that students can thrive there academically, socially and personally.
For now, we’re simply enjoying the journey, gathering information and watching Whit slowly discover what feels right for him.
And if that journey happens to include a few more trips to Auburn along the way, I certainly won’t complain. <3
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