"So I guess we got matched I hope you’re not snatched I know you study EARS, so you rock On your door I will knock Jk I couldn’t think of a rhyme You’re welcome" Emma sent Zach this infamous flitz (Dartmouth’s term for flirtatious email) jokingly, and a tad tipsy, after being matched through Tyler Work’s Matchmaking Services in February 2020. Zach interpreted this email with a bit of a confirmation bias, and after a bit of pressuring from Emma at a Rock Party, Zach sent his reply flitz (typos and all): "Well I am and awkward and a little shy, And hence that is the cause of the slow reply, But the following lines I blitz, Shall be my reply flitz. I know on Washington you now hike, And in Watopia I should now bike, But perhaps when you're free, You would like to spend some time with me? I think your amazing and would love to know when we can grab some tea. (Or really anything else) You're also welcome." Prior to all this flitzing, Zach and Emma had met in September 2019 on a Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) backpacking trip around Washington’s Wonderland Trail a few weeks before the start of their senior year. Emma first saw Zach sitting on the roof of the rental car in Seattle drinking a dirty chai with his silly brown pants after a rough day of travel that included delayed bags and rental car woes. Unbeknownst to Emma, the trip leaders (Zach, Sean, and Hunter) had perfectly curated the admitted group to be their friends and fellow DOC leaders. To not look too suspicious, they needed some more women on the trip, and luckily Emma fit the bill as she was also a DOC leader. Zach and Emma immediately hit it off, with the friendship launching when Emma played "All That and More" by RKS when driving with Zach and solidifying after sharing a four-way kiss with Rocky the Kangaroo and their friend Juan. Emma's mom, Mariann, immediately took a liking to Zach because he got off the plane wearing his wide-brimmed wool hat to fend off the Washington rain, and Mariann noted he gave off Paul Simon vibes. We’re still waiting to see if Zach can even approach Simon in any aspects of life. When back at school, Zach and Emma proceeded in their normal lives, seeing each other at the Monday DOC festivities followed by Microbrews. They went on some bike rides together, and Zach would comment that Emma "biked like a rower". They went on a frigid winter hike in January on Mt. Madison and Adams with many of the friends from the Wonderland Trail trip. Zach asked Emma if she had any "love interests" and Emma missed the vibes here. When Emma returned the question to Zach, Zach said coyly, "I have someone I'm interested in.” Zach took to trying to woo Emma for that month, and Emma missed most of the cues. This changed when their friend, Tyler, went into full matchmaking mode and launched a google survey that blew up to where about 1/4 of the school filled it out. Some important survey highlights: - Emma noted that she had a single room. Zach did not. - Both said the best way to spend a Sunday was to get outside. Emma said the second was “doing homework all day” while Zach noted his was to “distract a friend while pretending to do homework”. - Both agreed that the three most important characteristics in a relationship were honesty, good communication, and spontaneity. - Thank goodness Emma indicated that height was only the fifth most important characteristic in a partner. After the flitz exchange, they planned for a tea and gelato date 2 days later on February 11th. A tragically canceled Microbrews on February 10th, however, spurred a spontaneous unofficial tea date. On a starlit walk home on School Street, Zach asked, “is it ok if tomorrow is a date?” Luckily, Emma smiled and said “Yes!”