Despite Elizabethtown College being a small school compared to most of the colleges in the area, it is nearly impossible to know all of the students on campus. Each one of them has their own unique story on how they came to attend Etown, and it is important to know that their story has value. One such example is the tale of sophomore Mahli Rupp.

For Rupp, when considering college, the only thing that mattered was distance. Most college students longed to go as far away from their hometown as possible, but Rupp is the rare exception to the rule as she resides in Mount Joy, Pa., which is only a 10-minute drive from Etown.

“At the time when we were all trying to choose colleges, the only thing I knew I wanted was to be a commuter,” Rupp said, “and that was it. That’s all I knew going into college searching.”

Like so many other students mentioned in “The Students of Etown,” Rupp loves the College for our tight-knit community.

“It feels like, well maybe I can’t say it but I will anyways,” Rupp said. “It feels like my high school but nicer.”

Rupp is a professional writing major, a Japanese minor and considering a creative writing minor. She decided on her major because of her love of writing, and like many writers, that passion stems from her love of reading.

“I’ve been a reader ever since I was baby age. My mom would sit down with me and read with me on her lap. I just kept reading,” Rupp said. “Some people don’t tolerate that, but I’ve loved books since I was out of the womb.”

On the other hand, her Japanese minor came more by surprise. Rupp took an introductory level Japanese course her first semester of her first year to fill the language requirement and discovered that she actually adored the language.

“As it went on, I was like ‘Oh, I really enjoy this. I’m good at it,’” Rupp said. “So I just kept continuing to do it.”

With almost four semesters completed, Rupp has taken many classes on campus. Her favorite, however, is a class she took fall semester, EN281: Young Adult Literature with Dr. Tara Moore.

“We were reading things that I actually really enjoyed. I love young adult literature more than older literature,” Rupp said. “A lot of people expect me to really like the old stuff because I’m an English major, but really, my love lies with the modern, young adult stuff.”

With graduation only two short years away, Rupp does not have many concrete plans for what she plans to do, but she has some ideas.

“I know I want to get a writing job and hopefully move out of my mom’s house,” Rupp said. “I like that I still live with her, but I feel by the time I’m 25, I need to be out.”

Good luck to Rupp as she finishes the second half of her college journey and moves into the writing world!