Ellie and I met freshman year at Auburn. We don’t know where or when, but we think it may have been a Farmhouse pledge party. After two occurrences in the fall of 2020, we never really saw each other freshman year. Ellie was already a Tiger Paw then, and I tried out to be an Auburn Cheerleader. At events, we would see each other often, interact sometimes, and usually leave without saying much to each other. Through it all, however, my first cheer partner, Anna Sayers, and her twin sister, Laura, would always say, “You need to date Ellie,” “She’s so cute,” and all sorts of things to convince me to date her for over a year. I didn’t really think much of it until February or March of our junior year. I heard she had recently become single, and I became interested in seeing if this would go anywhere.

The first time we truly interacted outside of anything spirit squads was an Admitted Students Day. We were both student recruiters and heard a professor's presentation that we really enjoyed listening to. After staying to speak with him, we both walked back to our cars together. Later, Ellie and I would talk about Co-Head and Captain interviews for our teams. I remember she called me one day, and we talked about interviews for over half an hour. We started texting more and more. I wanted to take her to our last Farmhouse date party of the year, but she had already been asked. It worked out for the better since we think we might not have dated if we went together. Over the summer, we texted all the time, and I knew I wanted to ask her on a date when she got back to Auburn. I enjoyed talking to her, so I asked her if she wanted to get dinner with me at Bow & Arrow. We continued going on dates for the rest of the summer, and I asked if she wanted to make it official on July 31, 2023.

Our senior year was filled with so many great things. Homecoming Week (one of my favorite weeks with Ellie), traveling to games, cheering together, date parties, an SEC championship, and so much more. We graduated and then started graduate school, but we were able to do it together. I proposed to Ellie on November 1, 2024, and finally told Ellie that I loved her. We waited to tell each other that we loved each other until I proposed, which made that moment even more worth it. I knew very early on that this was something different. It was a feeling that I had never felt before. Ellie is a special person with a gift for showing love and compassion to everyone. She’s taught me so much; she’s my biggest supporter, and I can’t wait for her to be my wife.

Coleman and I met during our freshman year at Auburn (we don't remember exactly when it was). My first memory of Coleman was when he picked up some AOII friends and I for the AOII and Farmhouse hang out at the bowling alley. We had many mutual friends, so we saw each other often. I was on the Tiger Paw Dance Team, and he was an Auburn Cheerleader, meaning we would dance/cheer at the same athletic events.

At the end of junior year, Coleman and I worked a campus event day together as Student Recruiters. We both introduced ourselves to the speaker, and Coleman and I walked back to our cars together. It was such an enjoyable conversation, and we ended up texting afterward, and then the texting just continued haha! He asked me to a date party at the end of April, and I already had a date, but I remember talking to him for a while at the event. I realized we had so much in common and enjoyed every conversation. I knew we would both be in Auburn over the summer, so there was a possibility of us dating. In the middle of June, Coleman asked me out, and we had a fun night at Bow & Arrow in Auburn. It was such a fun first date! We continued going on dates all summer and officially started dating on July 31, 2023.

Our senior year was filled with so many fun memories: Homecoming week, Farmhouse date parties, many trips to Nashville, and winning the SEC basketball championship. We both graduated from Auburn in May 2024 and started grad school at Auburn-- a very different season of life! Coleman proposed on November 1, 2024, and it was such a special moment. I am so thankful for Coleman and the man he is! He leads me well, points me toward the Lord, is the best listener, and encourages me whenever needed. I am so excited and thankful to spend forever with him!