Megan and Ying still remember their first conversation. It was in August of 2014 at Georgetown during the orientation for their master's program. Predictably, it started with Ying approaching Megan - who was wearing a Duke name tag - to tell her that "Duke sucks". Megan responded creatively with "ew, UNC sucks". Little did she know, she would end up at UNC for medical school a couple years later and be forced to eat her words.
The first conversation went so well that Ying had to find a way to get Megan to hang out with him. He resorted to what he knew best and asked her to play basketball at Yates, the gym at Georgetown. Ying dunked, and Megan shot mid-range jumpers only. They were basically Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan, except without the breaking up for several years part. After Ying was sure that Megan could ball (check) and Megan was sure that Chloe liked Ying (dogs are great judges of character), things got serious. Megan and Ying decided to tell their best friends about each other. Megan texted her friend, Karishma, who responded "Is this him?" with a picture of Ying from two years prior in a Jeremy Lin jersey on Halloween on Franklin Street (ask them for the full story at the wedding). What are the odds? Megan was convinced this was fate.
Since Georgetown, Megan and Ying have learned a lot about each other (ex: Ying hates carrots, is allergic to fuzzy fruits) and endured many trials and tribulations together (ex: Megan was personally victimized by AMCAS). After the Georgetown master’s program was over, they both moved to Chapel Hill, NC so that Ying could start medical school at his alma mater. Megan did research in the Marsico Lung Institute at UNC while she applied to medical schools, and eventually got in to UNC two years behind Ying. She initially had an identity crisis, but has since accepted the lighter shade of blue.
Megan's white coat ceremony in September of 2017 marked more than just the start of her med school journey - it was also the first time that Megan's immediate family (her mother, Mary Ann, father, Gary, and brother, Bryan) would meet Ying's parents (his mother, Peng, and his father, Zhen). Megan was nervous - she hoped that they would get along - but Ying wasn't. He was confident that they would like each other, and he was right. They bonded over lively conversation and a great meal hosted by Ying's parents (Elaine's - highly recommend if you're ever in Chapel Hill).
Megan and Ying spent Thanksgiving with Ying's parents - they made a successful turkey and enough food for three families - and then Megan and Ying flew to California for the holidays. While Megan was otherwise occupied, Ying sat down with Megan's parents at their signature butcher block kitchen table and told them about his plans to ask her to marry him. Megan's parents were very excited that Ying would soon be part of the family, and wished them the best. They had come a long way from talking trash about each other's colleges in front of their Georgetown lecture hall! Now, Megan's mom would begin the difficult task of keeping the secret for ~3 months. She did a great job, and Megan had no idea what was coming.
Ying acquired a beautiful, sparkly ring and began to develop his game plan (ball is life). It was March of 2018 and he was living in Charlotte for his third year rotations, while Megan was in Chapel Hill for her first year of school. He decided to come back to Chapel Hill while Megan was in class - apartment beautified, suit and tie, ring on dog, etc. - and surprise her with a proposal. This was a significant life lesson for Ying: always have a plan B, because plan A isn't going to happen. Twenty minutes before he arrived in Chapel Hill, he got a text from Megan saying that her teacher had moved class this week and that she was at home. Disaster. Ying had no choice but to go for it. He made it to Chapel Hill, knocked on the door and...no answer. Lots of barking from Chloe, but no Megan. He knocked again. Still no answer. More barking. He knocked a third time, and the door opened to reveal Megan in an oversized t-shirt (Palo Alto Basketball, obviously) and sweatpants with a greenish/grey face mask on. She looked really good. Shocked by her beauty, Ying dropped to his knees, held out the ring, and tried to speak, but no words came out. Megan said "yes", even though Ying hadn't actually asked her anything because, after three and a half years of dating, she knew what he was thinking. She figured that if he wanted to ask her to marry him even in sweatpants, he was a keeper (s/o Drake). Because, let's be honest, in sweatpants (read: scrubs) is how Megan plans to live the majority of the rest of her life.
Now, Megan and Ying are working through medical school while living in a beautiful apartment with their small doggo, Chloe. There isn't a lot of free time for med students, but life is good. As they plan their wedding, they have been prompted to reflect on all of the wonderful friends and family they have gained over the years. They feel so lucky to have the privilege and opportunity to celebrate with such fantastic human beings, and they cannot wait to see everyone at Nestldown in May of 2019.