In one alternate universe, we met while riding our bikes around the Furman pond when we were just little tykes. In another alternate universe, we met at Presbyterian College's scholarship competition which we both attended while in high school. In this universe, we met when we toured the physics department at Clemson. We were both trying to decide whether to major in Physics at Clemson, and lo and behold we were both in Physics I with Dr. Daw that fall! We met up a few times to work on homework, discovered we were attending the same church, and continued to take multiple classes together each semester. We would often get together with our physics friends for family style dinners that we took turns hosting. Our junior year, Dr. Alper's Mechanics brought us together even more for late night homework sessions and reviews. Daniel turned out to be the kindest person I had ever met.

Over Christmas break that year, Gabriella and I joined some other Physics students for a trip to Surfside Beach, SC. We played games and cooked, and when we all planned to watch the sunrise on the beach, everyone bailed except Gabriella and I. So there we were, romantically crunching through ice while watching the sun come up, getting to talk and laugh, just enjoying being together. I was especially attracted to her gentleness and love for God and for people. I didn't think anything of it until Daniel stopped at my parent's house with me for dinner on the way back from the beach. I was starting to wonder if he was interested, so I left him alone with strategy game nerd brother for a while so he 'wouldn't get any ideas.' But Daniel quickly won Joe's prickly heart. A few weeks later, I stopped by Gabriella's apartment to talk. I overcame some nervousness and expressed my interest in her! After Daniel told me he liked me (and I said I did too!) we ‘almost dated’ for a few months. We met for coffee every Monday morning at 7am, and we spent time together doing homework and/or neglecting our homework to talk. For what I consider our first date, we met at Moe Joe’s, a local coffee shop, and talked for hours about faith and trusting God through the ups and downs of life at school. Daniel grabbed a scrap of paper to sketch a contour plot about the hills and valleys of life. I later told a friend that the conversation was so encouraging it made my whole week better.