It all began in the fall of 2023, in a research methods class that neither of us expected would change our lives. Lauren first noticed Cole when he kindly gave up his desk for a girl who arrived late—her immediate thought was, “Wow, he’s really sweet.” Cole’s first impression? He thought Lauren looked absolutely miserable sitting through that class (she swears she was just tired!). But as it turns out, bad classes make for great love stories. Things took a turn when Lauren joined the gym where Cole worked out. After class one day, he stopped her to chat about it—and that small conversation turned into a connection that quickly grew into something more. Lauren, originally from eastern North Carolina, and Cole, born and raised in Upstate New York, might have come from different corners of the East Coast, but their paths aligned at the perfect place, at the perfect time. By June 2024, they packed up and moved to Charleston, SC, ready to start a new chapter together. A year later, in June 2025, they got engaged—grateful every day for one boring class that turned out to be the beginning of forever.