Joseph and Keena met on a hot summer night, toes in the sand… of a slightly chaotic sand volleyball court behind Bluff Residence Hall at SIUE. It was far from a romantic beach meet cute, but a sweaty hub of college freshmen trying to play volleyball and make friends all at once. It was their first few weeks of college, so Keena said hi to Joseph, trying to spark a friendly conversation, but it didn't last long. Joseph was focused on the actual volleyball game, and he's not one for small talk. Later that night, fate (and a bold roommate named Ashley) brought them together again. Keena and Ashley ran into Joseph at the front desk of Bluff Hall, and Ashley didn’t hesitate to invite him to hang out with their group, proving that 18-year-old freshmen will ask any stranger to be their friend. Good thing Joseph said yes—because some strangers become the love of your life!