Porch Profile: The women of 529 Irving

Left to right: Meggie Leinhauser, Jane Ferris, Julia Gallenstein, Grace Noonan, Grace DiPierro. Photo provided.

Maddy Bartsche | Porch Correspondent

Flyer News is bringing back an old tradition – Porch Profiles – except this time, we’re writing in a form any group of roommates can relate to: text chains. DM us @flyernews if you and your roommates are interested in being featured!

FN: How did you all meet?

Grace Noonan: Grace D, Julia and Meggie lived on my floor freshman year. Grace was actually my next door neighbor! I met Jane sophomore year through mutual friends.

Meggie Leinhauser: I met Grace, Grace and Julia on the 7th floor of Marycrest our first year! We all lived on the Northwest wing together. Second semester of our first year, Grace Noonan and I joined Zeta Tau Alpha together, which helped us grow closer. I was introduced to Jane our junior year through mutual friends.

Julia Gallenstein: Grace Noonan and I actually DM’d each other on Instagram our senior year of high school in the hopes of  becoming roommates. Who knew four years later we would be! 

Jane Ferris: I was introduced to Noonan sophomore year. I met Grace, Julia, and Meggie last year through mutual friends.

FN: How long have you lived together?

Grace DiPierro: This is the first year all 5 of us are living together. Meggie, Julia and I lived together sophomore, junior, and now senior year. Grace Noonan and Jane are new additions! 

Meggie Leinhauser: We love our humble abode on Irving.

Julia Gallenstein: Freshman year I would leave so much stuff in Meggie and Grace’s room that we may as well have been roommates. Every Sunday I would collect my pile from each of their rooms. I’ve lived with them for the past three years now and have never been happier in our house of 5 with Grace and Jane too! 

FN: What’s your favorite thing about living on Irving?

Grace Noonan: The proximity to campus and friends nearby. Also, our house has its own parking lot that fits all of our cars, so that is a great plus!

Meggie Leinhauser: I agree with Grace Noonan! Having a driveway is a game changer. I also love being so close to campus and our friends, but also feeling slightly removed because our porch faces Oakwood. 

Julia Gallenstein: The corner of Irving and Trinity feels like our own little world. Go out of our back door, we are close to campus, but go out of our front door we are separated from the craziness of college. 

Jane Ferris: I love how close we are to campus and our friends. We somehow lucked out with the close proximity of our house to our friends. 

Grace DiPierro: Totally! And I love having our own driveway!

FN: If you had to describe yourself in only three words, what would you choose? What words do you think your roommates would choose to describe you?

Grace Noonan: Three words I would use to describe myself are funny, loyal, and honest. I think they would use similar words, maybe messy too. 

Grace DiPierro: I would say I am down to earth, organized, and generous. I think my roommates would say I am clean – almost to a fault!

Meggie Leinhauser: I would say I am charismatic, selfless, and committed. Jane says I am a good storyteller…that is the best compliment, in my opinion.

Julia Gallenstein: My roommates would describe me as caring, outgoing, and strong-willed. They say I am a good cook even though I always criticize what I make. 

Jane Ferris: I would describe myself as laid-back, candid and out of pocket. 

FN: What’s your all-time favorite memory together?

Grace Noonan: I think my favorite memory is when one of the roomies was going through a tough time. We were all in the living room talking it out and being there for her, but I think it brought us closer together which I loved. Also, when we did a “Lord of the Rings” movie marathon. 

Grace DiPierro: One of my favorite memories with everyone would have to be my birthday weekend! I was really grateful to have everyone around and they helped me feel really special. We spent the weekend together and ate great meals in the Oregon District!

Meggie Leinhauser: My favorite memory together is also Grace’s birthday weekend! It snowed and we had a long weekend, allowing plenty of time for us to hang out with one another. Everything was so peaceful and I remember not wanting the weekend to end.

Julia Gallenstein: My favorite memory was our first family dinner. We all went to Lily’s and were able to swap stories and look forward to the rest of our year together. 

Jane Ferris: It is hard to think of just one specific one, but I really enjoy our Sundays together. We are all cooking dinner and doing homework while some Netflix show is playing in the background. I have learned that it’s the little things that are the most memorable. 

FN: What is on your bucket list for this semester?

Grace Noonan: Having a party and building a pyramid of Grace D, Julia and Meggies famous Jello-Shots. 

Grace DiPierro: We want to make crab rangoon together! We all enjoy eating them and want to eventually make our own. 

Meggie Leinhauser: Take care of the laundry list of maintenance issues…love the old house, but it definitely has character!

Julia Gallenstein: We want to make a scrapbook of all of our favorite memories with our favorite people. 

Jane Ferris: Before we graduate, we want to leave our mark in 529 by leaving an easter egg in the house for the next roommates to find.

FN: Do you have any advice for underclassmen?

Grace Noonan: I would say get involved and make new friends. It’s great having a close group of friends, but growing your circle and meeting new people is something that allows you to step out of your comfort zone and learn more about yourself. 

Grace DiPierro: My advice would be to take advantage of every opportunity to spend with your friends. Even if it’s something as small as sitting on the couch while you all watch TV or going to dinner together.

Meggie Leinhauser: Learn to spend time with yourself! I have grown to be much more independent during my time at UD. Enjoying time by myself allows me to be more present and attentive to my friendships, classes and activities!

Julia Gallenstein: Think about your friendships in terms of quality and not quantity. You have to put the time and effort into nurturing your friendships!

Jane Ferris: Always remember that it is never too late to make new friends. 

FN: If you were all back for your 10-year reunion, what would everyone be up to?

Grace Noonan: I think Julia will be running a company, I think Grace D will have her own practice helping others, I think Meggie will be running a non-profit, and lastly Jane will be a housewife.

Grace DiPierro: I think Meggie will be an awesome community leader, Julia will publish a book and spend her free time with her dog, Grace Noonan will be a successful interviewer or recruiter, and Jane will be richer than all of us.

Meggie Leinhauser: I think Grace Noonan will be girlbossing in some way, maybe recruiting! Grace DiPierro will run her own private counseling practice. Julia will be event planning, selling real estate, and writing a book while doing so. Jane will be living somewhere cooler than the rest of us. 

Julia Gallenstein: Grace Noonan will become a thriving saleswoman. Grace DiPierro will become a top rated child and adolescent psychologist. Meggie will be the owner of a community outreach center. Jane will be somewhere other than the midwest. 

Jane Ferris: I think Meggie will be the mayor of Philadelphia, Grace will be the number one psychiatrist in the ENTIRE world, Julia will be a certified fashionista and Noonan will become a bodybuilder.  

FN: Anything else you want to add?

Grace Noonan: Wouldn’t want to be living with anyone else!

Grace DiPierro: Pick your roomies carefully, you might have to spend a lot of time with them and they say a lot about who you are and what your goals are.

Jane Ferris: Make the most of your time here! 

Meggie Leinhauser: I can’t believe time has flown so quickly! Cherish all of your time here – it goes by fast.

Julia Gallenstein: I wouldn’t be here without the support of my best friends. We’ve all been through so much together and I am blessed to have shared the journey with them. 

For more Porch Profiles, like Flyer News on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@FlyerNews & @FlyerNewsSports) and Instagram (@flyernews).