Grant's Version: I’d like to say that Julie and I met on a sunny summer afternoon while lounging in the green grass of the campus mall. Maybe we met during a cool autumn hike into the arb with multicolored leaves swirling around us. Instead, the truth is far less romantic, at least initially. Julie and I met under the clinical fluorescent lights of a chemistry lab- Ardolf 205. When I arrived at SJU, I just wanted to make friends. As the school year began, I set off on that objective, picking up friends on Collegebound, through orchestra, and around campus. On Tuesday, September 6th, 2016, I laid my eyes on Julie for the first time. After a short bus ride, a quick walk through the library, hopping up a flight of stairs, and across a glass bridge, I burst into a small chemistry class. I quickly scanned the room for an open seat. I found an empty seat and took it. Next to me was a quiet physics student and two Bennies. As I sat there, I listened to a girl with a tight ponytail dressed in black dance team apparel discuss the upcoming lab. She seemed confident, prepared, and determined. As I later found out, her name was Julie. Some weeks later, I recall talking to her at a fume hood on the east side of the chemistry lab. As I waited for my distillation lab to run, I struck up a conversation with her. Mostly about nothing, but enough to learn a few things- she was from Maplewood and on the dance team. Sometime in early November, Julie invited me to see Ahmal and The Night Visitors, a puppet show with orchestral accompaniment from our friends. I agreed and recall purchasing my ticket with her, which I promptly lost. Fortunately, the box office was able to print me another. The following Saturday, I met Julie after returning from a swim meet at Saint Thomas. After the show, we met up with her friends before saying goodbye for the night. The next day, I recall conversing with Ryan and Adam wondering if what I had just gone on was a date. I don’t think we ever arrived at a definitive answer. Regardless, Julie and I spent more time together in the last weeks of the semester. Sometime during finals week, I helped her with her paper. I tore it apart. Spring semester rolled around and I returned to campus. With great prompting and encouragement from friends, I asked Julie out. We agreed to go to a dance on campus and then go out to the Local Blend the following day. Julie's Version: I guess you could say we had Chemistry! Chemistry lab to be specific. I was working on an experiment in the chemistry lab. Shockingly, I got bored. So I proceeded to practice my dance for an upcoming performance. Because what else would I be doing? I looked to my left to see a cute guy staring at me. Slightly embarrassed, I said "hi" and asked if he was a freshman; since I had never seen him before. He replied that he was a transfer student. I asked where he was from and he replied "Iowa". I then, of course, made a few Iowa jokes. He went on to assume I was from Maple Grove. Finally, I asked his name, he said “Grant”. After the discussion, we realized we were both in orchestra together. As the semester went on, we became close friends and study buddies. Eventually, I invited Grant to a play called “Amahl and the night visitors”, featuring our friends from the orchestra. It was just the two of us on a NOT date/friend date of sorts. I wanted to get to know him better! This “friend date” left Grant confused about if it was a real romantic date or not. It took much encouragement from our friends, specifically Amanda, Anna, Marin & Alexis (aka wing women) but Grant finally invited me to a formal dance on January 27th, 2017. The next day we met for coffee at a local shop. There, we enjoyed getting to know each other over hot chocolate and cookies. Little did I know all the adventures and memories that were to come. All thanks to the cute guy in my chemistry class. Whether we are together or miles apart, Grant always knows how to make me smile.