We both attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). I always rushed from one class to another, while Manu had a more laid-back approach to college life. Whenever I came out of class, Manu approached me and asked to grab lunch. I was always caught off guard and preferred a quick snack before hurrying off to my next class. But Manu was persistent. Each time he saw me leaving class, he’d ask, “Lunch today?” And each time, I would gently turn him down. This little routine became a part of our daily lives, with Manu’s invitations and my polite refusals. One day, as I stepped out of the lecture hall and saw Manu, I surprised him by saying yes to his lunch request. It turned out we had a lot to talk about. Manu had a natural knack for picking up on schoolwork quickly, often with half the effort it took me. Before I knew it, he was helping me in chemistry class, and we started hanging out more and grabbing more lunches together. As the semester progressed, so did our bond. Manu's patience and kindness shone through, and he supported me through all my successes and failures. What started as a series of lunchtime invitations turned into finding the person I want to spend and eat lunch with every day.

It all started in the summer before college. I was at the MFL tournament when I first met Sabrina, and after our meeting, I thought to myself that I had to see her again. I was excited to find out we were going to the same campus. Of course, UIUC is a massive school, and I had no expectations that we would run into each other again. Flash forward to move-in day, my mom and I literally ran into Sabrina in the lobby while she was visiting her friend. At this point, I decided that I needed to make a move. Naturally, though, Sabrina wanted nothing to do with me right away. On my way to lunch, I often passed by the lecture hall where Sabrina would be leaving, so I would wait to find her and ask her to get lunch since we both had gaps in our day (another coincidence). Sabrina said no the first time, and the time after that, and the time after that. But one day, she finally said yes (I guess she was really hungry). During this meal, she realized I wasn’t such a weirdo and, in fact, was a pretty cool guy. From there, lunch became a regular occurrence for the two of us, and the rest is history. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with Sabrina sharing countless lunches together.