Syd and I met two weeks into our freshman year at SMU in Dallas, TX. Syd lived on the 4th floor next to some of my soccer teammates, while I lived on the floor beneath her. I remember walking by her in the elevator a week into college and thinking to myself that I needed to meet this young lady. Later that week, our neighbor reached out for soccer lessons as she wanted to join the club team, and because she didn’t know me very well, she brought Syd with her for moral support. I thought to myself, "This is my chance." Fast forward two weeks, and we are dating. Syd went from knowing nothing about soccer to becoming the team’s biggest cheerleader. Later that fall, right before Thanksgiving in 2016, we had difficult conversations as I had decided to transfer to Butler to continue and chase my dreams on the soccer field. Despite having never seen me play a minute at SMU, Syd had the utmost support and belief in me and that I would make the most of that opportunity. She assured me that we would be okay and that this would work. Neither of us could have prepared for what the next three years would have in store for us, or how this decision would affect the rest of our lives. One cannot express the feeling of leaving the person you love so much behind while pursuing your dreams. Syd and I would both say that the next three years brought some of the best and worst times for both of us, but the one thing that got us through and never faded was the love we had for each other and being able to lean on one another when times get tough. Throughout those three years, we both achieved things that we never thought would have been possible by the end of freshman year. Syd became president of her program (Simmons School of Education and Human Development), nominated Woman of the Year, selected as Major of the Year, developed student organizations, (I could go on, but I don’t have enough space 😊). I was able to achieve every goal I set for myself when leaving, which included becoming an All-American, Player of the Year in our conference, and playing multiple games in the NCAA Tournament. I truly believe one of the most important decisions someone will make in their life is who they choose to spend the rest of their life with. I feel confident I speak for both of us when I say that we would not be where we are today without the other person in our lives. The one thing that helped both of us stay strong is that we never know what the world has in store for us, or why some things happen, but that two people are a lot stronger than one, and that is how we approach everything in life. Being distant for so many years has taught us how important the little acts of kindness and love are—things that so many relationships take for granted. From the very beginning of our relationship, we learned that love isn’t always a smooth ride. In fact, sometimes it’s more like a roller coaster with a few unexpected loops, a couple of bumps, and the occasional “hold on tight” moment. But through every twist and turn, we knew one thing for sure: we were in it together. In the end, our love story was about more than just the easy moments; it’s about the way we show up for each other when things aren’t perfect. As I look back on our relationship and everything we’ve been through, I can’t help but smile at the countless inside jokes we have, spontaneous adventures, dates that had been poorly planned (if you know, you know), road trips, home-cooked meals, and just curling up on the sofa to watch movies or big sporting events. I’ve learned that love is a lot more about finding joy and love in the little things and approaching chaos head-on. As we both stand here today, ready to start the next chapter of our lives, we are excited to see what’s still to come. Because if there is one thing that we both agree on, it’s that life with each other is exciting, beautiful, filled with a ton of laughter, and sometimes chaotic—but we wouldn’t want it any other way.