Jess and Joe first met in 6th grade in their hometown of Erie, PA. Despite meeting in 2010 and growing up just two blocks from each other, the couple didn't go on their first date for almost three years: a bike ride during their freshman year of high school. It took them another three years after that to officially start dating. They've been inseparable since. Well, not physically. After dating for just a couple months, Jess and Joe went off to college- Jess at Penn State and Joe at Boston College. After a semester, Joe came to his senses and made his debut as an official nittany lion in the Spring of 2017, transferring to PSU with Jess. Unfortunately, their Happy Valley romance was not to last as Joe received his letter of acceptance from the Naval Academy that March. In June, Joe shipped off to Plebe Summer and began his naval career. This also marked Jess' naval girlfriend career. During Plebe Summer, Jess flooded the Academy's mailbox with letters upon letters and visited the yard every chance she got. Over the next four years these visits continued, and just as soon as Joe became a part of the Navy family, so did Jess. Weekends were filled with hockey games, fireball shots (not for Joe) and not-so-romantic walks through the yard. Jess and Joe finally got a break from long distance upon Joe's graduation in May of 2021. Just weeks later, they went to San Diego for the summer so Joe could start his training. Here, the two of them met some of their closest friends and made some of their favorite memories. From scootering through Little Italy to walks along the Embaracdero and endless sunsets at Sunset Cliffs, the summer of 2021 was a dream. Joe's next training took him a little farther into the Pacific: Yokosuka, Japan. Unfortunately, COVID prevented Jess from being able to go with him and work in Tokyo, and thus began their next period of long distance. Despite the egregious time difference and demanding work schedules, Jess and Joe managed to schedule regular facetimes, calls, and even a joint trip to Thailand! In August of 2022, Jess flew across the globe and met Joe in Tokyo after almost a year apart. Together, they flew to Bangkok and began their adventure through the country. On August 12th, Joe surprised Jess by proposing in Phuket at the Nai Harn. And thus began the next chapter of their life as an engaged couple! Written by: Tori Purchase