This past week, The UCSD Guardian’s Lifestyle section scoured Library Walk in search of the most heartwarming meet-cute stories. Whether it was love at first sight or a relationship that has been slow burning since high school, one thing ties all these stories together: Love finds a way when you least expect it.
1. Take it from Conrad Fisher: To yearn is to earn
If you’re a fan of the slow burn trope, this one’s for you. For fourth-year Nina, love started off unrequited for her boyfriend of three and a half years, AK. When AK first moved to her high school in Indonesia, she didn’t spare him a second glance. After ending up in the same friend group, AK started to develop feelings for Nina, but the feelings were heartbreakingly one-sided, and she turned him down. Despite being rejected, AK couldn’t shake his feelings, and after a long friendship, Nina found herself reciprocating his affections during a graduation trip to Bali.
“On our third date, he asked me to be his girlfriend,” Nina said. “Three and a half years later, we’ve been doing long distance from East Coast to West Coast.” Take it from Nina and AK’s love story: Give love time and prioritize getting to know the other person for who they are.
2. Maybe icebreakers do actually work!
Working as an RA doesn’t always get the best rap. Although dedicating 20 hours a week to being known as the resident narc may have you questioning if the free housing was worth it, the friendships you find along the way might just make up for it. Best friends Eliza and Aya met while awkwardly sitting next to each other during RA orientation icebreakers. Tasked to create a song together, their friendship harmonized, and they began getting lunch together — even holding a spontaneous “Pirates of the Caribbean” watch party with their new friends. Eventually, the two became inseparable. If you are in the process of becoming an RA and aren’t sure what to expect from your soon-to-be colleagues, let Eliza and Aya’s story take some weight off your shoulders. You never know how far an awkward icebreaker can take you!
3. (Platonic) love at first sight
Never let anyone tell you that connection can’t be instant — Megan and Lily are living proof that the opposite can be true. At a Tokens T-shirt making event this past Fall Quarter, Megan spotted Lily sitting at a table and knew instantly that she needed this girl to be a part of her life. So, she gathered up her courage, asked for her name, and the rest is history. As engineering majors living in neighboring colleges, it seems that Megan’s intuition was correct; their friendship was perfectly fated. Let their story be a reminder of the power of taking chances with strangers — it may just bloom into a beautiful relationship.
4. Bloxburg roleplay comes to life
You never really know where you’re going to meet your soulmate. For one of the vendor fair merchants on Library Walk, that place was Roblox. Venturing into a knockoff “Survivor” game, he struck up a conversation with another player through the chatbox. They quickly discovered their personalities complemented one another and continued playing together long past the last round. Their conversation moved beyond the smirking yellow faces on their blocky bodies and into texting everyday. “We realized we were both from the same area and decided to meet up in person; we’ve been together for over two years now,” the vendor said. Who would’ve thought that Roblox could be a platform for finding love?
As we enter the month of love, we hope that these meet-cute moments help set the tone for your own romantic — or platonic — escapades. Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or somewhere in between, romantic stories are always a nice way to fill you with hope. Remember to keep an open mind because love might just find you when you least expect it.
