Richard and Margaret Hoff only attended a few years of junior college in their hometowns. Now, over 50 years later, they are dropping their granddaughter off at Elon University, more than an 11 hour drive from home. 

“We like to see the college life that the kids are embarking on,” Richard said. “It’s exciting for us. I didn’t go to college, so this a whole new experience.” 

Richard and Margaret are the grandparents of Grace Gallery. She moved into Kivette Hall this morning with her roommate Amanda Rubeo. 

The two roommates had help moving their belongings into the dorm from parents, move in staff, and siblings. However, everyone in the room was most excited for Richard to begin working on his special task. 

“He’s the handy man who’s going to help put things together,” Margaret said. 

“I think I have to assemble all the furniture that they bought from Ikea and do some modifications to the beds which I’m pretty apt at doing,” Richard said. 

The Hoff’s are from Chicago and have lived in the same city as Grace her entire life, but when it came time to leave, it was Grace's immediate family who invited the grandparents to join them. 

“We’ve had a good relationship with Grace,” Margaret said. “She’s been close to us her whole life. So, of course, we wanted the share this one too.”

Grace isn’t the Hoff’s first grandchild to go to college, and when reflecting on the next phase of her life, both Grace and her grandfather agreed that time flies by.

“Yesterday, it felt like I was just filling out applications, and it feels like yesterday was my first day of senior year.” Grace said. “Now, it’s my first day of college.”

“In general it’s fun to watch them grow up, from being little things onto college and then graduating,” Richard said. 

As another grandchild starts their college journey, Richard and Margaret reflect on their brief college experiences and have one piece of advice for their granddaughter and her peers. 

“Appreciate this opportunity that you have, because you have a wonderful opportunity,” Margaret said. 

“And make the best of it,” Richard added. “It’s only a four year stint. So the better you make of it, the better your outcomes are going to be.”