Zack and I were on the same "team" in 7th grade and our lockers were just a few down from one another. We officially met when our math teacher assigned our seats next to each other. In class, an old friend of mine and I gave Zack the unofficial nickname of "Teddy" because he reminded us of a Teddy Bear and he used to get SO annoyed (you always tease the ones you like, am I right? haha).

After 7th grade, Zack and I had drifted apart for several years until our Senior year. Throughout that year we had crossed paths a few times as we had mutual friends and we were in the same homecoming group. He was even giving me the answers to the AP Stats homework and didn't even know it (haha!). During our Senior breakfast (one of the last few days of high school), we took a picture together because we were both wearing our North Central t-shirts! At this moment, I don't think either one of us knew just how big of a role we were going to play in each other's lives. During the summer we were both given the same college orientation date and were put in the same group. I remember being so overwhelmed picking classes that he came over to help and ended up enrolling me in at least 1 of the same classes as him each term (he even stuck me in an Accounting course *face palm*). From that point on, we were pretty much inseparable and everyone would always ask, "Are you guys dating? When are you two going to date?" To which we often laughed it off and said, "No Way!" With lots of ups and downs in between, Sophomore year came around and Zack invited me to a family Christmas party and it was that night that changed everything! We started dating on 12/25/2015!

We took a trip to Florida and spent the week at Disney and Universal Studios! I was completely clueless as to what Zack had been planning for that week and how stressed he was trying to get the timing right! Apparently, he had been carrying the ring with him every single place that we went on our trip waiting for the "perfect" time. His version of that week is pretty hilarious as he describes what it was like going through metal detectors and several different security screeners as we entered each park and seeing the ring pop up on the screen. Thankfully, I am extremely impatient and was always way ahead of him! We spent our last full day at Universal Studios and at the end of the night he popped the question!