Jackie and Kartik met working at the Georgia Tech Campus Recreation Center (CRC). Jackie was starting her first year at Georgia Tech while Kartik was getting ready for year two. Jackie had caught Kartik's eye on the first day back during the annual CRC employee kickoff meeting with returning employees and new employees. Kartik was on the verge of quitting his job when the week 1 work schedule came out. There was a trainee listed on his first shift -"Jacqueline Tu". Kartik thought about it and came to the conclusion that one more week at the CRC wouldn't kill him. He went to the shift just with the intention of talking to and making acquaintance with Jacqueline. He helped with her homework before quickly realizing he was in over his head, and Jackie was a genius. They found common ground in their love for Ohio and Jackie was thoroughly impressed that Kartik not only knew what Ohio was, he had family right in her hometown! Over the next six months they became close friends by seeing each other at work at the CRC and lifting weights together before or after shifts. Kartik decided to finally give it a shot and ask Jackie to go to formal with him in Savannah, GA. Over the next 5 years, Kartik and Jackie visited 14 countries while studying abroad, found a love for hiking and visited 36 national parks. Kartik popped the question in Jackie's hometown of Dublin, Ohio where he set it up as a surprise with Jackie’s best friend Emily under the guise of a Christmas card photoshoot.