In the Spring of 2013, I, Scott, graduated from Colquitt County High School. I was heading off to Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus with my high school friend, Best Man, and college roommate, Tatum Shivers. During my first year in college, I became a brother of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and met many lifelong friends.

During this time, Anneliese was completing her Senior Year at

Lakeside High School in Augusta University. Anneliese was crushing her academics and athletic competition as she led Lakeside to a 5A State Championship in Tennis against a worthy opponent, Starr’s Mill her junior year. Following her performance, Anneliese was signed to be a Hurricane and play for the Women's tennis team, which she did along with running for the cross-country team.

Upon Anneliese's arrival to Georgia Southwestern on Move-In Day, I was a Resident Assistant, RA in the freshmen dorms. I specifically recall spotting Anneliese walking through the dorms on that first day and thinking she was so beautiful. I did not speak with her for some time but began to know her through Sigma Chi events, mutual friends, and Anneliese's start as a Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA).

Over the next year and a half, we started to become more acquainted. However, it took some time before we began to get serious, especially on my behalf. I was never nervous around people, but she made me jumbled. I eventually gathered myself and knew what I needed to do. I went out with Anneliese and her friends as we all celebrated her 21st birthday on February 2nd, 2017. Following her birthday, I knew Valentine’s was coming up, and I had not fully verbalized my feelings towards Anneliese, so I knew I needed to make it known. I surprised Anneliese with a basket of goodies and a note expressing my interest and wanted to see if she would like to make dinner. She hit me with an "I already have dinner/birthday plans with a bunch of my sorority

sisters to go eat out for Lindsey's Birthday (Lindsey McCullough-Maid of Honor). You can come if you would like." So, I, of course, said Yes. We went to the local 1800 Mexican restaurant, which was extremely busy. I was the only guy, and I was trying to make sure everyone was having a good time, so we had a couple of rounds of shots. Mid-Shift, our waiter walks out and quits.

The manager tells us about this, acts like it is such a big deal, and offers to cover EVERYONE's food and drinks. It was a great inconvenience if you asked me. Shortly after dinner, we all made our way to the Sigma Chi house, where we enjoyed the evening together and shared our first kiss (on top of a table. #CouplesOnElevatedSurfaces).

A few weeks later, Spring break was upon us, and I did not have

any plans for the holiday and was assuming I would be staying in Americus and working. However, Anneliese extended an invite to go with her and her friends to Orange Beach. It was a great weekend to spend with her and get to know her on a closer level; the five-hour drive there and back really helped with the

deeper connections. After a fun week at the beach, I knew I would miss out on so many fun life adventures, stories, memories, and my best friend in life if I did not capitalize. SoOo... I asked her to be my girlfriend in the middle of some Georgia-Bama back road with a phone with little to no battery, WHICH almost died and would leave us stranded due to the poor connection. However,

she said yes, so you could say our connection at this point was at an all-time high.

This was on March 17th, 2017, and today is June 21, 2022.

Many memories have been made in Americus, Macon, Moultrie,

Augusta, Atlanta, Naples, St. Augustine, Daytona, and many others. I would not change a thing about this experience. We have spent almost two years doing long distance while she worked full-time in the STICU at Navicent, and I kept pushing along with my degree (yes, it took me forever.) However, she has been the solid rock that has helped make me and move me forward, and I can not thank her enough. She is my most incredible adventure so far, and I am ready for many more. 143.

Photos