Kristina and Nic met in high school and became friends in 2015. After getting to know each other, it became clear that they wanted to be more than friends.

They began long-distance dating in the fall of 2017 when Nic left for St. Olaf College in Minnesota. Meanwhile, Kristina finished her bachelor degree at St. Norbert in De Pere in 2019 and began her PhD studies in Seattle at the University of Washington. They saw each other during breaks, and otherwise texted and video chatted as much as they could.

Nic graduated from St. Olaf in May of 2021, and in August of 2021 they moved to Seattle. Since then, they’ve had lots of adventures- some of their favorites include summiting Mt. St. Helens, traveling to the U.K., and learning to cook new foods.

On October 28, 2023, Kristina and Nic went on a hike at Gothic Basin in the Cascade mountain range. At the top of the trail with mountain views all around, Nic proposed to Kristina (much to her surprise!).