The First Day of School

The first day of school can be challenging for anyone, especially college kids. Not only

can starting a new school be scary – finding classes, finding parking, making friends – but

starting over in a new city hundreds of miles away from home is even more challenging.

As a transfer student, Sam was excited to start her new life at Big Girl University. To put

herself out there and make new friends – wanting to tell fun college stories like her mom and dad

– she decided to join the Transfer Techsans, an organization dedicated to transfer students.

Walking into the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center, Sam was very nervous. She grabbed

a name tag, wrote her name, and walked into the large ballroom filled with awkward and

anxiety-ridden new students. They decided to put everyone in groups according to their colored

name tag. Why did Sam pick purple? In all honesty, it’s all TCU’s fault, but that’s a story for another day.

Aaron, one of the anxiety-ridden new students, didn't want to go to a transfer student

welcome event. He went anyway, not wanting to stay secluded for his entire time at college.

Upon reaching the building, he was randomly put in purple group due to other groups being full.

The first nerve-wracking activity they did was put us in a line by birthdate. Finding her

fellow purples, Sam went down the line of March birthdays, and then April birthdays, until she

spotted him. A tall blonde with piercing blue eyes and a skateboard attached to his backpack.

"When's your birthday?" Sam asked. The first words spoken to Aaron by his future wife.

“May 28th,” he said.

Two birthdays, 11 days apart, resulted in Aaron being placed right behind

Sam. He noticed how beautiful she was and how easy she was to talk to in the few words they

shared. More activities passed, and frequent glances between the two started to root the seed of attraction.

With the event coming to an end, a girl in the purple group invited Sam to go to Chick-

fil-A with her, and a few others, at the Student Union Building. Sam only wanted to go if Aaron

went, and Aaron only wanted to go if Sam went. After a dance of uncertainty, they ended up

sitting next to each other at a round table with seven other people from the purple group.

Although the table was full of people, Sam and Aaron only wanted to talk to each other. Nothing

but laughter for the remainder of the night between them, and numbers were delightfully exchanged.

Day 2

With classes just beginning, Sam found herself going over notes in the SUB. Aaron headed to meet her to help her with some homework and for lunch. (She never

told him she didn’t need help with her homework that day.) Nerves almost taking over, he walks

over to her sitting on a bench by a large window. She looked up, and with the sun catching her eyes, Aaron was stunned by their deep honey color.

They still don't quite know how it happened, but the topic of studying was long gone

within minutes. They left the SUB and continued walking around campus, talking, laughing, exchanging funny and embarrassing stories. Benches, paths, and buildings served as mediums

for the effortless and engaging conversation that took them around campus.

Before they knew it, it was 8 p.m. and responsibilities called. Reluctantly, they said goodbye. How did seven hours go by so quickly? Walking into her dorm, Sam knew she had found someone special.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Sam and Aaron were invited to Buffalo Wild Wings by the same small group of people from the welcome event. Aaron couldn't remember the last time he felt at ease around someone so new to him. The sounds surrounding him seemed to disappear whenever she spoke.

After dinner, the small group parted ways. Sam had planned on getting a ride home from her sister, who had the car, but she wanted Aaron to take her home. (Sorry Micaela, but your sacrifice has not been forgotten.) The drive back to Texas Tech seemed to be over in an instant, to the dismay of both. Aaron watched her leave until the doors to her dorm closed behind her.

Day 4

Aaron and Sam were invited to a party before the first football game with the same small purple group. Aaron and Sam were tasked with bringing alcohol to the party. Buying alcohol was not an issue for Sam, who was 23 years old, but she needed a ride. Aaron, who was 20 years old, couldn’t buy the alcohol but had the car. The duo devised a plan to have him pick her up Saturday morning to get the alcohol, and they’d go to the party together. (Sam and Aaron don’t condone underage drinking unless you’re in college and you do it responsibly.)

The Camper

Friday comes around, with Sam and Aaron in constant communication, incessant laughter, and endless talking. Sam lived in the dorm, Murray Hall, and normally had her meals in the small restaurant downstairs, ironically named Sam’s. Unbeknownst to her, Sam’s closed on Friday at 5 p.m. and didn’t open again until Sunday.

Seeing a wonderful opportunity, Aaron offered to go pick her up, bring her back to his place, and make her dinner. He was already defrosting a steak, so the timing seemed perfect. Sam’s only hang-up was that she knew he lived far away and felt bad about him driving back and forth between Lubbock and Shallowater a bunch of times. (A good 15-minute drive each way.) Ignoring her hesitation, he picked her up and drove her out to Shallowater. It was years later when Sam finally confessed that she had plenty of food in her dorm, she just wanted to have dinner with him.

Pulling off the dark highway and into the trailer park, she thought for sure this was where she was going to get murdered. Stepping into the tiny camper, she realized it was super cozy and not murdery at all. She secretly texted her best friend to let her know she was going to be fine. Having heard about him all week long, her friend informed her that obviously, this guy was not going to murder her and that she was, in fact, on a first date.

Aaron and Sam enjoyed the delicious meal he made for them. They watched two movies from one of their favorite trilogies: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, followed by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. (We don’t acknowledge Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.)

Game Day

Aaron picked Sam up at her dorm the following morning to go to Specs. Lubbock was filled with an electric energy on game days, further sparking the connection the pair felt. Excited to go to their first real college party together, they walked in with plenty of bottles and bright smiles. One of the partygoers asked Sam and Aaron how long they had been dating. An innocent question met with shy awkward laughter.

After the game, Aaron had one too many to drink and attempted to impress her by skateboarding drunk. Many falls later, they arrived at her dorm. She knew he shouldn’t drive, and Sam couldn’t drive stick. Leaving his car at the party only a few blocks away, Sam let Aaron sleep in her dorm on her giant beanbag, while she slept in her bunk bed.

Day 7

The following morning was spent sharing coffee and pastries, at the Starbucks by Murray Hall, on campus. A week had passed since they met, and already it felt like they had known each other for years. Aaron knew this was what he had been looking for all his life and decided to take the plunge.

They talked about what a relationship would be like, their life goals, their relationship goals, and much more. To their surprise, everything lined up. So, Sam and Aaron decided to make it official and on that day, Sept. 1, 2019, they have been wonderfully in love ever since.

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