--- title: "Newly Unearthed Photos Show Elon Musk Goofing Off in College" description: "One of Elon Musk's ex-girlfriends is auctioning off photos and memorabilia from their time together at the University of Pennsylvania." date: "2022-08-24" modified: "2022-08-24" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-college-ex-girlfriend-photos" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "drama" - "elon musk" - "SpaceX" - "tesla" - "the digest" - "upenn" --- # Newly Unearthed Photos Show Elon Musk Goofing Off in College ![One of Elon Musk's ex-girlfriends is auctioning off photos and memorabilia from their time together at the University of Pennsylvania.]() *\Image: Jennifer Gwynne via The National Opinion\* ## Get That Bread One of Elon Musk's ex-girlfriends is auctioning off photos and memorabilia from their time together in college — and it's kind of bizarre to see the famed billionaire leading such a normal 1990s collegiate existence. As the [*Daily Mail* first reported](), the photos are being auctioned off by Jennifer Gwynne, who dated Musk when they were upperclassmen at the University of Pennsylvania in the early 90s. Now 48 and living in South Carolina, Gwynne said that she decided to auction off some of the keepsakes [via the RR auction house]() to help fund her stepson's college tuition. A noble cause, and it gives us new insight into Musk's formative years. https://twitter.com/TheNationalOpn/status/1562395214895267840 ## Exes and Ohs Gwynne, now 48, describes their relationship as "sweet," though she told the *Mail* that the now-Tesla and SpaceX CEO resisted being affectionate. In one of the mementos, Musk wrote a brief birthday note to Gwynne, which reads "Happy Birthday Jennifer (aka Boo-Boo)" and was signed with "love." Gwynne said she was devastated by their breakup, and that the two haven't spoken in decades. Though the Musk ex said she isn't fond of her former boyfriend's public persona, she clearly still feels for him, and said she doesn't think he's enjoying the high-profile (and high-grossing) life he's living now. "I don’t agree with a lot of what he says now," Gwynne told the *Mail*. "Don't get me wrong, he is brilliant — a once in a multigenerational mind… I just think honestly he’s looking for love or some kind of validation." "I'm sure he doesn’t care what I have to say," she said, adding that she wishes "he was a bit happier." **READ MORE:** [Baby-faced billionaire! Elon Musk's college girlfriend auctions off photos, gifts and birthday cards from their 1990s romance]() \[*Daily Mail*\] **More Elon drama:** *[Elon Musk's Daughter Comes Out As Trans, Cuts Ties With Father]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()