On October 25th, 2020, Amanda was sitting at the counter of her college apartment, juggling an Italian paper while casually scrolling through her phone when a message popped up that would change everything. Turning to her roommate, Kristen, she excitedly asked, “Is this Johnny from Chi Phi?” And lo and behold, it was!
From that moment, they started chatting, and Amanda’s Italian paper was promptly forgotten. What began as a harmless distraction turned into hours of conversation, and they quickly realized just how much they had in common. They’d had so many near misses—shared classes, their fraternity and sorority were THON partners, and Johnny’s sister had even been one of Amanda’s first college friends! To top it all off, there’s a video from 2019 where Johnny was standing right behind Amanda, completely unnoticed by either of them.
After a few days of texting, they decided to go on a date. They stayed up all night talking, and just like that, they clicked. Johnny, true to form, was certain early on—by November 13th, he’d written himself a reminder on his whiteboard to ask Amanda to be his girlfriend. Classic Johnny.
Their senior year took on a whole new vibe. They kept each other motivated, balancing fun with finishing strong, and created so many memories with friends that would last a lifetime.
After graduation, they made the leap and moved in together. From Long Island to State College, visits to family and friends, holidays, and plenty of Disney magic, life together has been one joyful adventure after another.
Fast forward nearly four years to September 20th. Johnny’s sister Lexie and her fiancé Logan were visiting for the Penn State vs. Kent State game, and the group found themselves walking across campus. In front of Old Main, they took a few photos, and when Johnny grabbed Amanda’s hands, she immediately suspected something was up. With a beaming smile, she asked, “Are you joking?” as Johnny popped the question.
It was one of the happiest moments of their lives, and they know this is just the beginning of many more adventures to come!