Bursting the Elon Bubble
Rectifying college life amidst the perpetual haze of pandemic life is, for lack of a better explanation, strange. For seasoned vets, a walk through campus can feel like a tease; passing by old spots that were once the sight of formals, chapters, weekly meetings, and casual hangouts—the ghost of Elon past. For newcomers, a socially distanced campus is all they may have known. In any case, returning to Elon during COVID-19 meant that calendars were suddenly much freer than they would normally be, a pill that’s especially hard to swallow for those who’ve had a taste of what once was. But for Lauren Beliveau, one door closed became an invitation to another opened to a whole new world. And one that had been in her own backyard the whole time.
Enter the Bubble
Beliveau and her friends returned to campus in the Fall on a mission. With the usual social calendar thrown out the window, they decided to use this as an opportunity to see more of the place they’d called home for the past four years—a choice that goes neglected far too often. Now is probably the time to acknowledge what we’ve commonly come to know as the “Elon bubble.” Without seeking to make any major generalizations, it should be safe to say that most Elon students have a hard time getting to the surrounding area—that is, anything past the Cookout on Huffman Mill Rd. or the Target off of exit 140. There’s often a natural border dividing us and anything beyond Alamance County, our eyes more commonly focused on all things Elon.
It’s a conversation Beliveau and her friends had directly with a local business owner back in the Fall. They’d headed over to Gibsonville to check out Beetle & Bee, a new local coffee shop that just opened up. The girls, quickly falling in love with the quaintness and cozy simplicity, were surprised to learn that the place had not yet broken into the Elon market. “He was telling us how it’s important for a coffee shop to transport you to another place or time…” Beliveau recalls, “...to have an atmosphere that creates a space that’s comfortable and familiar while still standing out from the rest; and this place had just that.” The owner loved what Beetle & Bee was bringing to the area and knew that Elon students could fall in love with it as well, but wasn’t sure how exactly to make that happen.
It wouldn’t be until January that the girls would return to Gibsonville to check in on the coffee shop that they’d fallen in love with that day, only to find that the owner’s fears had become a reality. Beetle & Bee was closed. Another chapter in a story that continues with each generation of Elon, falling victim to the bubble. It was realizing this loss that gave birth to a new idea, a new way to shed some light on an area that had so much to offer beyond the familiar campus lines and city limits.
Bringing Local to the Masses
The idea was clear; to create a platform for hidden gems and longtime favorites, a guide for Elon students looking to branch out and explore further beyond the norm. The answer? Local Oak; an Instagram account devoted to featuring small businesses of all kinds—coffee shops, restaurants, vintage shops, and art boutiques alike.
The beauty of the account truly lays in its simplicity. Rather than breaking into the normal pitfalls of influencer culture, Local Oak is not a review-based platform. There are no rigid lines between a 1 and 5-star experience, no scathing reviews of mom and pop joints that may not feature the most vegan-friendly menu. The word they use in their bio is “showcase”, and it’s a true representation. Local Oak seeks to showcase all that there is in our area and beyond. By not bringing their own opinions or feelings in the mix, what you get is a roadmap for audiences to seek out their own adventures—right down to the minute distance from campus.
Having only started the account fairly recently, keeping up with fresh content is a lot more time-consuming than it may seem. Beliveau and her friends make an effort to try new places as a group, but also divide and conquer when necessary. Balancing the research, photography, and in-person meetings with locals is an all-hands-on-deck affair, the girls often having to venture out on their own whenever they get a window of free time. The reward, though, is always worth it in the end. “[Doing] this gives my roommates and I something to look forward to every week...” Beliveau explains, “…finding a new place or posting about somewhere we’ve already been [has been] such a fun thing for us to do this year.”
In a short amount of time, they’ve still managed to span almost all the way across the map, hitting everywhere from Burlington, Gibsonville, Mebane and Graham, and even venturing out into the likes of Durham, Greensboro, Chapel Hill, Raleigh and Winston Salem. Once there, they won’t always approach owners, sometimes wanting to dip into the background and take things in like everyday customers. But when you’re scoping out the area taking notes and running some not-so-discreet iPhone photoshoots, it can be a lot easier to explain the reason why. Not surprisingly, owners have been thrilled hearing about Local Oak, somewhat relieved that people are finally trying to bridge the Elon student to North Carolina gap. “It’s incredible to see local business owners supporting each other and with tags and Instagram stories it is so easy to continue following new accounts in new places,” Beliveau describes.
More than just a post
Venturing out into the surrounding area has brought them face-to-face with the realities of pandemic life, all suffering similar consequences but still trudging on in spite of the changing tides. “One of our favorite places, Forgotten Road Ales in downtown Graham, talked a lot about how a year ago when the pandemic hit, they were almost sure that they’d have to close their doors for good,” Beliveau recalls. “Being able to see them thriving now despite all the adjustments and restrictions and being a part of the community they’ve created in downtown Graham has been one of the most gratifying things. These businesses appreciate us just as much as we appreciate the break from the Elon bubble.”
It becomes clear that what started as a fun side project has transcended all expectations, bringing the girls closer together with a surrounding area that’s been begging for more eyes to notice it. Sure the lure of heading into bigger cities has always been there for students, and many may make the pilgrimage out to Raleigh or Charlotte at least once before they don their caps and gowns. But even a five or 10-minute drive can open the door to a world of possibilities. And yet, many still neglect to take that chance.
“A big part of it I believe is just that people don’t know what’s out there,” Beliveau mentions. We talked at great length about the hold that the Elon bubble still has on campus today. “Taking the time to research and find new places isn’t always easy and when we all know of 1 or 2 places that are close, reliable, and good enough, it's tough to branch out from that. Our main goal with this account was to make everything that much more accessible to Elon students. By putting in the leg work ourselves, we’re hoping that Elon students find it that much easier to try out new places and experience the surrounding area. I think it's so important, especially during the pandemic, to get out of the house and off campus as a reset. Being a member of the Elon community is so much more than just attending classes, it’s getting to know the area as well.”
Home away from home
What she reveals here is a connecting thread that stops and makes you think. Many of us call Elon home, maybe even going so far as to call Burlington or North Carolina a home-away-from-home. But to say this with integrity means we need to see it, get to know it. Making a place a home requires going against the grain and taking the initiative to experience it for all that it is, beyond the avenues of our everyday lives.
And for these four seniors, Local Oak provided an opportunity to do just that. A showcase turned love letter to the place they call home far beyond our red brick avenues here on campus. At the end of the day, North Carolina is our home, in all of its nooks and crannies that have gone overlooked for far too long. And it’s time we start seeking them out.
Looking towards the future, Local Oak is excited, actively working towards getting more eyes to their account while also looking to pass the duties onto a new group of adventurers upon their graduation this May. For the students of today, Beliveau’s goal is clear. “We hope that everyone can find at least one new place that makes them fall in love with the area and a reason to get out of the bubble.”
Make sure to give @localoak a follow to keep up with all the latest from Lauren and the team to make sure your bucket list of places to try in the area is fresh and evergreen!
