DAN: Elsie and I met very traditionally: we matched on Bumble and she asked me to tell her a bad joke. Naturally, she hated the joke, but after a few days of chatting, she agreed to go on a date with me anyway. The day of the date, I heroically rolled up on a hazard yellow bike, clipped my helmet onto my backpack, and swaggered into Trudy’s. Impressive as this was to Elsie, she blew me out of the water and set a trend for our relationship when she revealed that she knew the waiter who later comped her drink. It turned out that Elsie knew everyone everywhere, which is immensely helpful but also frustrating since I knew no one anywhere. This also set the tone for our “opposites attract” style relationship. As a stereotypical nerd who is more likely to be inside reading than out partying, dating the self-proclaimed queen of the extroverts was intimidating. There was always somewhere new that Elsie wanted to be, some new friends that she wanted to make. While I can’t say that I became any more extroverted, Elsie’s enthusiasm for the next fun thing was absolutely infectious and I loved that she could drag me out of my apartment. Before I knew it, all these years had passed and I wouldn’t trade them for anything! ELSIE: A couple months after moving back from Madrid I decided I was ready to start dating again. Dan was the second boy I met through Bumble and he rolled up to our date on a bicycle HAHA. It’s extra funny because I have always hated driving (didn’t get my license until I was 18 and didn’t fully drive habitually until I was 25) mostly because I’m terrified of it and I ended up driving him home that night (so the irony of dating a boy who didn’t have a car was not lost). Though I don’t remember the specific details of our conversation I remember that he was extremely easy to talk to, inquisitive, and was truly interested in what I had to say. That’s one of Dan’s characteristics that I love the most - he listens with intent. Dan and I are opposite in almost every aspect and I think that’s what makes us even more great as a couple - it forces us to expand our individual interests and step outside of our comfort zones. It’s also hilarious and keeps us laughing! Picture introvert Dan trying to get a word in at a sales dinner where the 10 extroverts at the table are fighting to steer the conversation or ENT Elsie NOT having a word to pitch in when the PhD’s talk physics. All I know is that these past years have flown by and I’m excited for the next 50 with Dan!