Erika and I were both a part of the history and museum studies department on campus, so we had classes together since her freshman year (her being a year younger than me). While we knew each other, we never really hung out or got to know one another.
My first senior year, a psychology major, Robert Arrowood conspired to split an apartment between him, Erika’s brother Ian, Oliver Hancock, Chris Smith, and myself. That year, Erika and I both took Dr. Van Amberg’s class on medieval Europe, and took a trip to Norway. It was shortly after that trip that Ian started harassing Erika for not spending time with him, so we started having these ritual weekend movie marathons.
Erika and I started getting to know one another, we started studying together, and our separate crowds of friends started merging a little bit.
I remember Valentine ’s Day that year, my apartment, Erika, and a couple friends decided that since we were all single, we’d go out on a group date to Applebee’s and the movies. It was kind of funny, right before we left the apartment, Erika and one of the other girls in the apartment were talking about who was cute in the apartment and Erika said she could never date anyone who lived with her brother.
Two weeks later at the SGA meeting, I asked Erika out, and she shot me down. I like to think I took it in stride. That night we, as a group, went to watch Robo Cop at the theater in Greeneville because it was $5 movie night. Sometime between the meeting and movie, Erika changed her mind. She sent me a text during the movie letting me know she wanted to try giving a relationship a shot.
As for plans, Erika finished her masters in historical administration in December and is currently working part time for three different museums with hopes of finding a museum to employ her full time.
I’m hoping to start graduate school in the fall and work on my masters and eventually Ph.D. in history. I want to work in higher education, starting by teaching and then moving over to administration. Other than then that, we’re getting married on campus in May.
