Been There, Done That

We all know how hard it is to find that modern-day love story and share it with a companion that we truly care about. If you go to college you most likely are on a dating app or know someone who is. Well, that was my same mentally until I met my boyfriend of 9 months after mutually swiping right.

Rocky Start

We started Snapchatting for about a week or so and then Austin finally asked the question I had been waiting for..."Would you want to come to VMI (Virginia Military Institute) Midwinter Formal with me?" Of course, I had been waiting for him to ask me this and I was so excited to get the snap chat that I screenshot it and sent it to all my friends. Then I was able to pull myself together enough to respond with a "Sure", hiding my true excitement behind the screen.

With Midwinter Formal only being a week away I started eating salads and working out longer hours at the gym. As if that were going to cure my nerves of meeting him for the first time. I even told him that we needed to have a talk on the phone before we met in person, which freaked him out a little but in my eyes, it needed to happen. Turns out we could talk to each other without any awkward pause for at least an hour, which was very reassuring.

The week quickly came to an end and my friend Kaitlyn was nice enough to drive me down to Lexington that Friday. We arrived at a strange motel, me a face coated in makeup and Kaitlyn with a bladder ready to burst just so excited to meet this mystery man of mine. Those nerves lasted for about 2 hours because Austin and no other cadets were anywhere in sight. That's all because this boy had given me the wrong address the first time we ever met.

When he finally arrived at the creepy empty motel in his friend's maroon van, he was sorely embarrassed about the confusion that he had caused before we even met face to face. Luckily for him, I easily forgot and forgave his simple mistake.

The Spark

I am grateful that I did because we had a blast at formal. We danced to the live band, took cheesy pictures, ate chocolate strawberries, but most of all we talked and learned about each other. It wasn't until we were on the bus back to the hotel that my friend Kaitlyn texted me and said "So did Austin kiss you yet?", and I responded with no, then she typed across my screen " AUSTIN KISS HER ALREADY!" At that very moment, Austin peeked over my shoulder and read the huge text message. Let's just say he got the hint.

That honestly started it all. We both tried to ignore the feelings we shared for each other, and deny the fact that we could be in a relationship but the denial was not a strong enough force. That one night changed both of our lives and from there we have grown into best friends in a relationship.

Austin and I at the VMI Midwinter Formal, Our 1st Picture Lindsay Browning

How It Is Now

Now we have been dating for a little over 9 months. It's never easy considering I live in CT and Austin lives in NOVA and the fact that he is commissioning into the Army as an Officer after he graduates this Spring (2020) but we constantly make time for each other no matter what adversity we face. Over this past Christmas break, we actually spent 2 whole weeks together and spent a lot of time with our families.

So what started off as just a swipe on an app actually turned into something real. The technology that brought us together constantly keeps us together with Facetime and iMessage. The point I am trying to make is that everyone deserves companionship and love. Do not shy away from putting yourself out there or getting hurt because eventually it will work out and all of those scars from the past will be healed.

Most Recent Picuture of Austin and I Lindsay Browning