Editor’s note: Like Humans of New York’s “daily glimpses into the lives of strangers on the streets,” Humans of CSU tells the stories of the people who populate our campus. Written by Collegian staff and told in first person from the subject’s point of view, this series aims to make each individual on campus relatable.

Him: “February of 2010, I was going to one of my brother’s basketball games. I was a sophomore in high school at the time. It was kind of funny because I had a crush on another girl at the time and then I went to the game not expecting anything and then I saw her. ‘Cause she was there with…”

Her: “My best friend’s brother was on the team.”

Him: “Right, so she was just there with her best friend, and I saw her at the basketball game and I was like, ‘Oh, hey now, who’s this?'”

Him: “I didn’t muster up the courage to talk to her that night, but the next day, I was going four-wheeling with my uncle and brother, and my mom texted me — because I told my mom that I really liked her. I was like, ‘What’s up, Mom?’ and she said, ‘Oh, you’ll never guess. I’m shopping with the twins.’ When I got home, I was like ‘Hey, Mom, what do you think about making some dessert and inviting them over?’ and she said, ‘You can do that, but you have to call.’

The next day was the Super Bowl. They came and at the end of the game, I was like, ‘I like you. Can I have your number?'”

Her: “We hung out at school for that whole week and then we went on a date.”

Him: “High school was great. She came to all of my baseball games and wore my jerseys and shirts. Then college rolled around, and we had been together for two years at this point. I decided to come to Colorado State because I absolutely loved it. It was really hard because I had to leave this one behind.

One of the staple moments that I remember was at our high school graduation. At that moment, we didn’t know what was going to happen, but once her name was called, I ran out there to meet her and picked her up and swung her in a circle and gave her a kiss. That happened four years ago, but it still feels like it was yesterday. It was one of those moments you knew — what’s a thousand miles going to do to this?

After that followed Skype dates. We did the long-distance thing for two years. And it worked out.”

Her: “I got to see him a lot, so that was really helpful. At my school, we didn’t have class on Fridays, so I’d leave on a Thursday and get to spend the whole weekend with him. But when school started in August, there was that whole adjustment period and it took us a while to get in the groove of things. But after that, it was pretty easy communicating. We took the time to make that work, which I think was super helpful.”

Him: “Everyone says, ‘It’s so hard. Don’t do it. Don’t even try.’ We had to hear all of that stuff, but we stuck it out, and then she decided to come to CSU.”

Her: “After that two years, I was like, ‘I know I see my future with you.’ After I graduated, I thought it was time for a change, and I got to be with him, so we talked about it and decided to do it. Now I’m here and it was the happiest thing I’ve ever done.”

Him: “The first day she was petrified.”

Her: “I asked my mom, ‘What did I do?’ I was so upset. But at the end of the day, my home is with you.

Now it’s the med school thing. He’s applying to different med schools. We don’t really know where he’s going to end up, so that might be another long-distance thing. But I’m going to go back to California regardless and get my teaching credentials, and after that, I’ll follow where he is.”

Him: “We celebrated our six-year anniversary last week. It’s been great. She’s everything I could ever ask for in a partner. She’s nice, selfless. The way she is with kids, it’s really awesome. I think she’d make a great mother someday. I plan to make her my wife someday.”

Her: “My mom looks at him like a son. They expect us to be married and together for the rest of our lives, so I think having that encouragement and support helps our relationship as well.”

Him: “I had just gone back for winter break. It was one of the first few days, and I was talking to my parents about my plans (with) her. I was just telling them I think she’s the one, and I see both of them start to tear up, and just seeing that amount of happiness in their eyes, especially my dad. He’s Mr. ‘no-show of emotions.’ It’s not just me, my family cares about this one.

If you don’t think it’s going to last, you’re obviously not that invested in that person. Because if you truly care about that person and you can imagine a future with that person, the distance doesn’t matter.

I cared about her so much so that I didn’t feel the need to pursue any of the short-term flings or classic college relationships. That’s kind of just an empty well. When you’re that invested in someone, distance can’t touch it.”

Collegian Staff can be reached at socialmedia@collegian.com.

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