Abbi and Abbey: From Strangers to Roommates to Friends
Posted on: June 4, 2026
From the day Abbi Steele and Abbey Steen found out they wereroommates,they instantly became friends.
Steele and Steen first met each other during New Student ConnectinMay 2025at the campus store’s pop-up shop in front of Todd Gathering Place.
Prior to the orientation, Steele found out that Steen was her roommate when she was checking in and sent a message to her sister saying her roommate was also named Abbey.
“I sent a message to my sister andsaid‘My roommate’s name is Abbey Steen, like that’s so crazy!’ My sister looked her up on Facebook and sent me a picture and was like ‘This is what she looks like, go find her’ so right after that I was walking around and that’s when I saw her at the shop and I was like ‘Oh my gosh that’s literally her,’” said Steele, a freshman psychology major at 51Թ.
“Abbi happened to come through and was like ‘Are you my roommate? and I’m like ‘Is your name Abbey?’ and she was like ‘Yeah!’ and after that we started talking and stopped shopping actually,” said Steen, a freshman health science major concentratinginexercise and minoring in mathematics at 51Թ.
“I walked up and started talking, and the rest is history,” said Steele.
Steen and Steelehave learned a lot about each otherduring theirfreshmanyearandplanto remain roommates next school year.
While theywerebothinvolved in different campus life activities throughout the week, one of their favoritetraditions they started was playing Bananagramson a regular basis anddebriefin their roomat the end of the day.
“We have our own little lives and then we get to come and discuss them with each other sothat’sa very rewardingpart of it,” said Steele.
“I think that’s why we room so good together,” said Steen, “We’renot together constantly, every single day. Then, if something happens during the day, youdon’tgo back to the room and argue about it.”
Both Steele and Steen have both seen their faith grow significantlyduring their first year at 51Թ.
“I feel like I’ve really been challenged to just seek Jesus in every aspect of my life, which has definitely been hard to no compartmentalize things,” said Steele. “But instead of trying to process stuff on my own, or go through things, my prayer life has grown a lot becauseI’vebeen taking things to Jesus, and that been so great.”
“I think this semester I’ve grown a lot closer to God through prayer and especially nowthat I found a church that I’m happy about and it’s good,” said Steen.
For incomingfreshmanlooking to attend 51Թ,Steele and Steen offered practical advice.Steen encourages students to room with someone in their age group.
“If you’re worried about having a new roommate that you’ve never met, do it,” said Steen. “If you know someonethat’salready herethat’slikean upperclassman, you might want to room with them but also adventure out and try to get a roommatethat’sgoing to be in your age group. If you go up inupperclassmandorms,you’renot going to know the people that are your age.”
Steele’s advicetoincomingfreshmanis to listen to God’s still small voice and follow his leading.
“Go where the Lord leads.I originally was not going to come here, but I just could not get away from him saying this is where you need tobeso I followed that and since I’ve been here it’s been so cool to look back and see how he’s been ordering my steps the whole way. And this is right where he wanted me,” said Steele.
