Coming from small town Northwest Iowa, I felt like a fish out of water in the dating scene of city life in Iowa City. Between all the dating apps, it may come as a surprise that I found Clara while working at Catlett Marketplace. We bonded over our strange hatred for braces (which we both had at the time). We met through social media and bonded quickly. Over a few days, we met and decided to go on our first date. After, we talked nonstop and made it official. Ever since, we've bonded over great times and experiences. There's no one else who has been able to match my energy or make me laugh as hard. We've had great memories over various trips and dates!

In March of 2021, I was happily single and was not going out of my way to look for a new relationship. One Tuesday afternoon I went on a walk with one of my roommates, and we started talking about how everything happens for a reason, and at the right time. As an example, I said something about how, if we went to the dining hall at a certain time, we could meet someone who would become an important part of our lives—but if we had gone a half hour sooner or later, we might never have met them. When we got back to our dorm room, I was not very hungry, but my roommate was going downstairs to order food, so I decided to as well. I ordered a salad, and waited for it to be ready before heading downstairs. I went through the line, and a dining hall worker gave me my food, and I was on my way. I did not know it at the time, but the person who gave me my food was Richard. The next day I woke up later because my first class was in the afternoon, and was scrolling through my phone in bed. I noticed someone new followed me on Instagram, and that they knew some people that I was friends with, so I followed him back. A little later, the same person added me on Snapchat, and we started talking there. I learned that his name was Richard, he had braces (like me at the time), and was from Northwest Iowa near where my family went camping every year. We talked non stop for 3 days, and then decided to meet in person to go on a walk. I was very nervous to meet someone I had never talked to in person before, but we got along very well and hung out the rest of the day until I headed back home to Marion for the week--we didn't get a spring break because of Covid this year, but all my classes were online so I decided to be home for my brothers' spring break. Richard and I talked the whole week before I came back, and asked me to be his girlfriend on March 20th. We have been inseparable ever since!