"When did you first hear about Grebel?" When this question was posed to parents during a Grebel residence interview, I realized there had never been a time in my life that I had not known about Grebel! My oldest brother, John, was a Grebelite before I was even born; my other brothers followed suit thereafter. In 1991, I brought us full circle becoming the fourth and final of my siblings to live at Grebel.
Steve and I met at Grebel and became what is now termed a “Gr-ouple” or a “statistic,” marrying shortly after graduation. Over the years, we have often reminisced about our Waterloo days—hence our Grebel stories and memories have been woven into the lives of our daughters from a young age.
Our girls’ first tangible exposure to Grebel was through Ontario Mennonite Music Camp. We were amazed that, years after our own graduation, many of the original drapes were still in action in the residence rooms! Listening to stories from music camp, it was evident that OMMC was a microcosm of the greater Grebel community. When the time came for Sarah and Rachael to consider universities, it was not surprising that UWaterloo was at the top of their list, with Grebel ranking as one of UWaterloo’s greatest assets.
All things evolve with the passage of time, but comparing our family’s Grebel experiences, it’s clear that some aspects of Grebel life have stood the test of time. Mealtimes remain an important time to connect with fellow Grebelites and it’s encouraging that the “fill the table” tradition is alive and well. The guys’ hall always smelled funny; that hasn’t changed. Grebel bread continues to be the highlight of Wednesday Commie Supper meals. Impromptu social opportunities still abound, serving to establish the intricate and essential network of relationships that make Grebel a “home away from home.”
College facilities have undergone significant transformations over the years. The garbage chutes are no longer in operation; sheet change is a distant memory! Laundry facilities have been centralized and relocated to the basement. Modular furniture has replaced the vintage wall-mounted furniture of yesteryear, so while that has caused the tradition of home-grown bunkbeds to suffer, it has opened up new and creative (and quite possibly safer) possibilities for room layouts. The addition of the Grebel apartments provides another option for upper-year students seeking more independence … yet still craving Commie Supper bread!
Grebel’s long-standing intentional emphasis on community has been instrumental in setting it apart from other communal living environments. Grebel continues to be a place where people of faith are not made to feel out of place because of their beliefs. Weekly Chapel services and Community Suppers provide time deliberately set aside for residents to reconnect with one another on a deeper, more meaningful level. Walking the residence halls now is not quite the same as it once was; there are fewer open doors. This likely reflects a societal shift brought about by the pandemic. We are hopeful that the “open door” tradition will continue to be encouraged … some of our most memorable, most bizarre, most random, and most hilarious conversations took place simply because the door was open.
Sixty years in, the Grebel community is as vibrant as ever. Grebel remains a wonderful place to meet people who share similar values. While many of us look back fondly on our Grebel years, many alumni (Marcus Shantz, Paul Heidebrecht, and others) have been drawn back, and some familiar faces such as Janet and Loretta Martin have never left! This is truly a testament to the fact that there is something special about the Grebel community.
We are delighted that Sarah and Rachael have chosen to carry on the UWaterloo/Grebel tradition for another generation. All four of us are grateful for the ways in which Grebel has shaped our lives individually and as a family.
