Our love story starts during our sophomore year of college in an old, outdated dorm building at our alma mater, MSOE. Let’s just say my freshman-year roommate situation was… interesting, and she definitely made her mark on our room. When sophomore year rolled around, my wonderful new roommate Becca and I—both survivors of the previous year’s chaos—were reminiscing before class about everything we had lived through. Of course, that mysterious “mark” came up, and one of us had the brilliant idea to go back to my old room to see if it was still there. The year before, my room had been on an all-girls floor, but it was now co-ed. Since we already knew some of the girls living there (and because boys are scary), we brought a few friends along for moral support. Long story short, Seth had coincidentally been assigned the very same room I lived in freshman year. The door was open, so I walked right in and said something like, “Don’t mind me, I lived here last year and need to check on something.” I was immediately met with a very confused look from a guy wondering who I was and how I had the confidence to walk into a stranger’s room and head straight for his roommate’s bookshelf. Sadly, the “mark” had been painted over, so I never got my answer. Instead, I found myself standing in a stranger’s room while he quietly played a tractor simulator. Luckily, one of the friends we brought along knew him from a club and broke the silence. While Becca disappeared to introduce herself to everyone on the floor, Seth and I started talking in the corner about our hometowns. What began as a quick chat turned into a three-hour conversation, complete with a borrowed chair and watching Becca convince everyone to try his Onewheel. When Becca and I finally made it back to our room, we looked at each other—and as cheesy as it sounds, I already knew Seth was the one. Over the next year, we were in the same friend group, studying together, going to questionable college parties, and joining Engineers Without Borders. And by friend group, I truly mean friend group. So many girls were interested in Seth that he didn’t even seem like an option. If you ask him, he’ll deny this entirely, mostly because he never realized how many girls liked him sophomore year. It became a running joke for those of us who did notice. Junior year ended dorm life, and Seth and I gradually grew closer, so close that I was even giving him love advice about a situationship he was in at the time. That fall, Seth came hunting on my family’s land… as a friend. There’s a small chance he’s only with me for access to the hunting property, considering he saw it before we started dating, I guess we’ll never truly know. That winter, we finally started dating. Now, almost four years later, we’ve already had quite the adventure. We both graduated in spring 24, and I stayed an extra year to earn my master’s degree in spring 25. That same winter, Seth proposed on my family’s property after a fresh snowfall. It was quiet, peaceful, and perfect, the best moment of my life. I’d be lying if I said I was completely surprised. There were clues… like Seth planning something more than a day in advance and insisting on a five-hour winter drive to show friends the family farm, only to turn around and drive home the same day. Not suspicious at all. But he did an amazing job, and I wouldn’t have changed a single moment. Since the start, we’ve lived in 2.5 apartments, stayed with my parents for a while, moved four times, traveled to eight states, started full-time jobs, planned a wedding, and shared countless everyday moments that mean even more than the big adventures. Seth is patient, funny, kind-hearted, and has truly brought out the best version of me. He says he fell in love with my sense of humor, but somehow I’m the lucky one who gets to laugh with him for the rest of my life. And now, we can’t wait to begin our greatest adventure yet Spending forever together.